The combined impact of climate change and the use of solar energy on the water consumption in agriculture: A case study from Souss Massa region

Abstract

The pressure on energy in general, and electricity in particular, has become very important. This growing demand for energy is the result of a hydro-agricultural development policy launched since the sixties by the Moroccan government. This increasing energy demand is also due to urban and rural electrification. This chapter simulates the impact of climate change and the use of renewable energy on water resources in Souss Massa region, Morocco, using a dynamic management model for irrigation water allocation. To assess the impact of climate and pumping costs changes on water resources use, a simulation was conducted and based on a comparison of water pumping costs. These costs are introduced in a dynamic model and compared to solar energy pumping cost (Scenario B). The results showed that the average shadow price of water remains below MAD 3/m3 in the first five years, knowing that it has already exceeded MAD 5/m3 compared to scenario A assessing only the climate change impact. The economic price directly affects the amount of water consumed for irrigation. Indeed, there is a 17% decrease of surface water use. This amount was offset by an increase of 23% of groundwater pumping because its operating cost becomes more competitive. This change will adversely affect groundwater resources availability if no constraint limiting water pumping is applied. Add to that the small decrease in the total value added or even a recorded increase in the first five years, despite the impact of climate change. This increasing of the value added is explained by the gain on pumping costs by using solar energy. This chapter, assessing climate change combined to the use of solar energy (Scenario B), shows the potential impact of the use of renewable energy reducing pumping costs and water availability with no constraints limiting water pumping. At the contrary, there will be a massive overexploitation of groundwater. Therefore, an immediate strategy has to be implemented for an appropriate combination of the technology and regulation by taxing groundwater at the farm level to deal with the aquifer depletion and environmental scarcities.