The role of artificial impoundments in improving agricultural production in the semi-arid regions of northern Morocco

Abstract

At the end of the last century, the Rif mountains of Morocco have experienced significant changes in the level of agricultural activity, especially it concerns the increase in cannabis cultivation, which is characterized by high water requirements. For that reason, a number of Artificial Impoundments (AIs) have been constructed in the Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima (TTA) region, where by August 2017 there were more than 1400 of such structures. This requires to a study the efficiency and potential negative effects of such noticeable development. It has been shown that these hydraulic structures have provided additional positive value to the agricultural sector, especially to the proscribed industry of cannabis cultivation. Regarding other effects, the present study has found that their impact on the hydraulic and hydrographic aspects at the moment is very limited and that the only major constraint for their application is related to the issue of security, which arises from the fragile geological structure that is observed in the majority of the region.