Every drop is precious in eastern Morocco

In the arid mountains of eastern Morocco, people know the value of water all too well.

“Every drop is like gold. It should almost be measured by the carat,” said local activist Najib Bachiri. [A few weeks ago] in bustling Marrakesh 800km away, negotiators are thrashing out the details of a landmark global agreement designed to stave off disastrous climate change.

But in Tafoughalt, a little village deep in the mountains of Morocco’s Berkane province, that impact is being felt already. Rising temperatures are among the factors making the rains increasingly unpredictable. As a consequence, life for the residents of Tafoughalt – who largely survive on subsistence farming – is becoming harder.

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However, with the help of local funds and international donors, Bachiri’s group has installed two solar water pumps in the mountains of Tafoughalt. Two rows of solar panels are connected to a generator which feeds a pump extracting water from underground.

Read the full article via African Independent.

[Photo by Azzaddine Amjahed | Flickr]