Casablanca – Morocco’s seawater desalination project in Dakhla is approaching completion, with the plant 97% finished and its associated irrigation network 99% complete. Designed to produce 37 million cubic metres of water annually, the project is expected to support agricultural development across 5,000 hectares, supply drinking water and reduce pressure on groundwater reserves in one of the country’s most arid regions.

Located in the commune of Bir Anzarane in the Dakhla-Oued Ed-Dahab region, the project represents an investment of approximately $268 million. Its three main components are a seawater desalination facility, a 60-megawatt wind farm and an irrigation network extending over 130 kilometres of pipelines. The wind farm has been completed and is operational, while the remaining construction work on the desalination plant and irrigation infrastructure is nearing its final stage.

Once operational, the facility will produce 37 million cubic metres of desalinated water each year. Around 30 million cubic metres will be allocated to agricultural irrigation, with the remaining seven million cubic metres reserved for drinking water. This division reflects the project’s dual purpose: securing supplies for households while creating a more reliable water source for farming.

The agricultural component will serve a new perimeter covering 5,000 hectares. The availability of desalinated water is expected to encourage investment in crops with higher added value and help farmers plan production with greater certainty. The project is forecast to support annual production of approximately 500,000 tonnes of early-season vegetables, while generating around 30,000 permanent jobs and more than $103 million in added value.

A programme of 100 small agricultural projects has also been incorporated into the scheme to encourage young people from the region to participate in the development of the new perimeter. Each project will cover between five and 10 hectares, with beneficiaries expected to receive technical assistance and professional support to establish and develop their farms.

Private investors have also been allocated agricultural plots within the perimeter. During a field visit on 30 October 2026, Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries and Food Sovereignty Minister Khalid Hatimy met with investors to discuss their plans and the practical constraints they may face. The discussions focused on facilitating investment and supporting the development of sustainable agricultural activities in the region.

The project comes as Morocco continues to adapt its water policy to prolonged drought, declining rainfall and rising demand from agriculture, cities and economic activities. Several consecutive years of water shortages have exposed the limitations of relying heavily on rainfall and dam reserves. Agriculture remains particularly vulnerable because irrigation requirements are substantial and production in several regions depends on the availability of surface and underground water.

The government has consequently expanded a national programme combining desalination, dam construction, water transfers between river basins, wastewater reuse and improvements in irrigation efficiency. The objective is to diversify water supplies and reduce the vulnerability of cities and economic activities to fluctuations in rainfall.

Desalination becomes a central part of national water policy

Morocco has set increasingly ambitious targets for desalinated water production. The national objective for 2030 is approximately 1.7 billion cubic metres annually, while more recent planning raises the target to more than 1.8 billion cubic metres by 2031. The expansion is expected to include facilities already under construction as well as additional projects along the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts.

The programme is intended to increase the contribution of desalination to drinking water supplies, particularly in coastal cities facing growing demand. The government has also set an objective of meeting around 60% of national drinking water requirements through desalinated seawater by 2030, compared with approximately 25% when the target was initially established.

Morocco’s desalination capacity has been expanding through the development of new plants and the extension of existing facilities. The Casablanca project is among the largest planned installations, with a targeted annual capacity of 300 million cubic metres. Its first phase is designed to provide 200 million cubic metres, helping secure supplies for the country’s largest urban and economic area.

Other projects are intended to strengthen water availability in regions where conventional resources are under pressure. These include developments serving the Oriental region, Souss-Massa, Tangier and the southern provinces. The geographical distribution of the facilities is important because water shortages affect regions differently, depending on rainfall, population growth, agricultural activity and access to existing infrastructure.

The Dakhla facility has a distinct role within this programme. While some large desalination plants are primarily intended to supply urban populations, most of the water produced in Dakhla will be used for agricultural irrigation. This allocation reflects the importance of farming to the region’s development plans and the need to secure water for production in an arid environment.

Reducing pressure on dams and groundwater

Desalination is only one element of Morocco’s response to water scarcity. The country is also investing in infrastructure to transfer water from regions with greater availability towards areas experiencing shortages.

The transfer system linking the Sebou and Bouregreg basins has been developed to strengthen supplies to the Rabat-Casablanca area. Further connections are planned to improve water distribution between river basins and support regions facing persistent deficits. These projects are intended to make better use of available resources by moving water towards areas where demand is higher.

Additional infrastructure is expected to connect the Bouregreg and Oum Er-Rbia basins, with wider plans to extend transfers towards other water systems. The long-term objective is to increase the volume of water that can be redirected towards regions facing shortages, including agricultural areas where irrigation demand remains high.

Dams continue to play an essential role in storing rainfall and supplying water to cities, farms and economic activities. However, repeated droughts have demonstrated the limitations of depending heavily on reservoir levels. In early 2024, the national dam filling rate fell to around 23%, reflecting the effects of several consecutive years of insufficient rainfall. Although subsequent precipitation improved storage levels, the experience reinforced the need to develop additional sources and improve water management.

Groundwater protection is another major priority. Aquifers have been extensively used in several agricultural regions, sometimes at rates exceeding their natural capacity for replenishment. The expansion of desalination can help reduce withdrawals from underground reserves, particularly in coastal areas where seawater is available. However, this benefit will depend on ensuring that new supplies replace excessive groundwater extraction rather than simply encouraging unlimited growth in water consumption.

The Dakhla project illustrates this approach. By allocating 30 million cubic metres annually to irrigation, it is expected to reduce dependence on the local aquifer while supporting agricultural expansion. The use of desalinated seawater could also provide farmers with greater certainty when planning production cycles and investment.

Agricultural growth and the cost of water

The expansion of desalinated water use in agriculture raises economic questions that will influence the performance of projects such as Dakhla. Desalination requires substantial investment in treatment facilities, electricity, distribution networks and maintenance. The cost of producing and transporting water must therefore be considered alongside the value of the crops grown with it.

For high-value crops destined for domestic and export markets, a reliable water supply can help justify the additional expense. Early-season vegetables, for example, can generate significant economic returns when production is consistent and market access is available. The Dakhla scheme is designed to support this type of agricultural activity, with its projected annual output of 500,000 tonnes reflecting the production potential of the new perimeter.

However, desalinated water cannot necessarily replace conventional resources for every agricultural use. Large-scale production of lower-value crops, particularly those requiring extensive irrigation, may not generate sufficient returns to absorb higher water costs. Decisions about crop selection, water pricing and irrigation methods will therefore be important to the economic viability of the new farms.

Morocco is also seeking to expand the use of localized irrigation systems, including drip irrigation, to reduce losses and improve water efficiency. Better monitoring of consumption, maintenance of distribution networks and controls on groundwater extraction will remain necessary even as new desalination capacity becomes available.

The development of agricultural activities in Dakhla will also require investment beyond the farms themselves. The expected production volumes could create demand for packaging facilities, cold storage, transport, agricultural equipment and distribution services. These activities may generate additional employment and strengthen links between local producers and domestic and export markets.

The programme of 100 small agricultural projects could help broaden participation in this development. By providing young people with access to plots and technical assistance, the initiative seeks to create opportunities for smaller operators alongside larger private investors. Its results will depend on access to financing, suitable agricultural skills, reliable inputs and the ability to market production.

Renewable energy and the development of domestic expertise

The Dakhla project also reflects the growing connection between water infrastructure and renewable electricity. Its 60-megawatt wind farm is intended to supply energy to the wider scheme, helping reduce dependence on conventional power sources. This approach is particularly relevant because desalination requires significant electricity, and energy costs can influence the price of water delivered to farms and households.

The combination of renewable energy and desalination is expected to become increasingly important as Morocco expands its water production capacity. Wind and solar power can help limit the exposure of desalination facilities to fluctuations in conventional energy prices, although the technical requirements of operating treatment plants continuously will still require reliable electricity supply and appropriate storage or grid arrangements.

The expansion of the sector could also create opportunities for Moroccan companies in engineering, construction, equipment supply, water treatment and maintenance. Developing local technical expertise will be important as the number of desalination facilities increases, particularly in areas such as plant operation, membrane technology, water quality monitoring and energy management.

For Dakhla, the immediate challenge is to move from construction towards full operation. The remaining work must be completed, the production and distribution systems tested, and the agricultural plots progressively brought into use. The success of the project will also depend on whether private investors and young farmers can establish viable operations and whether the supporting services needed by a large agricultural perimeter develop at a sufficient pace.

The project demonstrates how Morocco is seeking to address water shortages through a combination of new supply infrastructure, renewable energy and changes in agricultural water management. Desalination will not eliminate the effects of drought or remove the need to protect dams and aquifers. It can, however, provide an additional and more predictable source of water for coastal communities and selected agricultural areas.

As Morocco moves towards its targets for 2030 and 2031, the challenge will be to balance the expansion of desalination capacity with affordability, energy efficiency and sustainable water use. In Dakhla, the completion of the plant could provide a practical example of how these objectives can be combined to support farming, employment and regional economic activity in a water-stressed environment.