3535

The water reservoir of the Ahmed El Hansali dam on the river Oum Er Rbia, at the northern foot of the Middle Atlas mountains

Climate change has become one of the biggest, most complex challenges facing humankind in the 21 stcentury, and water is at the heart of its impacts

This is particularly serious in arid regions like North Africa, where water resources are already being adversely affected by climate variability

In Morocco, due to a combination of population growth, economic development and a strong decline in precipitation, water resources are under more pressure

Water availability in Morocco has dropped from 3,500 m3 per person per year in 1960 to 1,000 m3 in 2000, and forecasts are predicting it will further fall to 490 m3 in 2020, below the United Nations' “absolute water scarcity” level

Morocco is maintaining its “politique des barrages”, a policy of water resources development focused on the construction of dams

This policy increased the number of large dams from 16 in 1960 to 128 by 2009, reaching a total reservoir capacity of 11,7 Bm 3

Now, Morocco is planning to build 3 new large dams each year by 2030, in order to mobilize additional 1,700 Mm3 surface water per year. 15 dams are currently under construction, one of them the Oued Martil Dam (120 Mm3 capacity)

Moroccan donkey baskets/panniers

Tourist souvenir: Traditional Berber tent miniature

Tourist souvenir: Traditional Berber tent miniature

The reservoir formed by the Ahmed el-Hansali Dam on the river Oum Er Rbia

Al Hansali water reservoir

The standard of major roads in Morocco has

rapidly improved over recent

years.

Driving is on the right with

overtaking on the left

Beni Mellal is located at the foot of the Middle Atlas Mountains, on the edge of the Great Tadla Plain where cereals are cultivated. The Kasbah Ras el Ain is a massive structure made of stone and pisé, precariously set on a Cliffside dominating the town of Beni Mellal 

Hibiscus (Rosa sinensis)

The town has an interesting history of also being called Day and Kasba Belkouche and was inhabited by the Berbers and Jews before the arrival of Islam

In the 13th century, Beni Mellal stood on the border between the kingdoms of Fes and Marrakech, which were the objects of dispute between the Merinid and AlMohad dynasties

In 1680, Moulay Idriss built a Kasbah in Beni Mellal

Schinus molle (Peruvian pepper, also known as American pepper)

Schinus molle (Peruvian pepper , also known as American pepper)

Beni Mellal has a population of 489,248

The walls of the city go back to Moulay Ismail, in 1688, as well as the Kasbah Ras el Ain

The Kasbah is only a walking distance from the spring of Ain Asserdoun and it is said to have been built to protect the spring and its series of falls, as well as supervise the plain and nearby territory

Ain Asserdoun (Source of the

Mule, a powerful spring is

especially pleasant, set among well-

tended gardens and feeding a

series of artificial walls

Sound: Aicha Maya 2017 - Inas Ibaba 2016

Text: InternetPictures: Sanda Negruțiu Sanda Foişoreanu InternetCopyright: All the images belong to their authors

Presentation: Sanda Foişoreanuhttps://plus.google.com/+SandaMichaela