Development of Irrigated Agricultural Areas Below Kheng Grou Dam

Monday 13 January 2025 - 16:20

The government continues its efforts to enhance agricultural potential through the development of hydro-agricultural projects. In preparation for the Kheng Grou Dam, currently under construction in the Figuig region, a consortium has been tasked with conducting a study on the development of hydro-agricultural zones downstream of this future infrastructure. The study area includes traditional small and medium-scale irrigation zones along the riverbed, as well as extensions that have grown nearby.

The dam will be located at the entrance of the Kheng Grou Gorge, near the village of Moguer. The site is accessible via Route 601 from Talsint to Bni Tadjit. The total area covered by the project is approximately 4,300 hectares, with 1,000 hectares in the small and medium-scale irrigation zones, and 3,300 hectares in the extension areas. The operation will involve supplying water from the future Kheng Grou Dam to these areas.

Water resource availability will be assessed based on existing data, including results from the Integrated Water Resources Master Plan for the Guir Basin, the hydrological study, and geological and hydrogeological studies related to the dam project. This analysis will help evaluate the water resources needed for the traditional irrigation zones and determine the water that can be allocated to the extension areas.

The extent of the zones will be determined in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, based on a resource-demand balance analysis. The consultant will also identify groundwater resources in the extension areas, using existing data from the Integrated Water Resources Master Plan, water extraction inventories, and Agricultural Development Fund (FDA) documents. The goal is to evaluate the water resources available for irrigation in terms of both quantity (flow) and quality (chemical properties).

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, the extension areas have seen significant growth in recent years, encouraged by state subsidies for planting and irrigation system installation. Most of these operations rely on groundwater and are equipped with storage basins. The sizes of these operations vary widely,

ranging from a few hectares to several hundred. The consortium will conduct an inventory of all extension areas using data from subsidy application records (FDA) and will complement this with field visits to meet with beneficiaries or their representatives. These surveys will provide additional details on the crops grown, types of plantations, and water extraction rates. Based on the water availability from the dam and the allocations for traditional irrigation zones, the consultant will assess water resources and determine the flow rates and areas of the extension zones to be included in the project.