Research Summary

Abstract:

Irrigation modernisation is heavily promoted as a main strategy to improve water efficiency and climate resilience in semi-arid agriculture. Yet, empirical evidence increasingly questions whether improvements in production efficiency lead to overall lower water abstractions. The paradox of irrigation efficiency in souss-Massa region (Morocco): A case studyThis paper analyses the “paradoxes” of irrigation efficiency as observed in the Moroccan Souss-Massa region where large scale adoption of drip-irrigation is concomitant with declining groundwater. Based on survey of 80 stakeholders, semi-structured interviews and fieldwork observations, this study employs a mixed-methods embedded case study to examine irrigation practice, monitoring technologies and governance frameworks. Results show extensive use of drip but ongoing groundwater reliance, low formal water accounting and fragmented institutional collaboration. We show that efficiency increases without abstraction regulation and governance integration may trigger rebound effects leading to enhanced water extraction. The paper concludes that sustainable agricultural water management in semi-arid areas depends on changing the current modernisation-oriented technology based approaches to management-based control efforts for water. The Moroccan example offers a wider perspective for water scarce regions subjected to structural drought in Climate Change.