Morocco’s water resources are under increasing pressure from population and industrial growth, irrigated agriculture, urbanization, tourism, climate change, overexploitation of aquifers and deteriorating water quality.

Algeria, like many other countries in the world, is facing significant natural, environmental and climatic challenges. Its galloping population coupled with increasing water demand is putting this vital resource – and by extension social and economic development – at risk.

To meet the minimum standards for water quantity and quality set by the World Bank, Algeria developed an ambitious strategy to increase water supply through huge investments in the improvement of the hydraulic infrastructure as well as organizational and institutional restructuring focused on the valuation of the resource

The strategy of water management in Algeria focuses on making the most of existing water resources through redistribution and increased storage and desalination capacity

Water in Algeria faces quantity and quality issues, and the unequal and inequitable division and distribution of available resources between sectors is proof that the current water policy is not clear in terms of strategies or priorities.

The greatest water challenge in Algeria is responding to growing demand. This demand is mainly being driven by population growth and rural-to-urban migration, coupled with high leakage rates caused by old and faulty networks.

Syria’s water resources face multiple challenges resulting from poor management and physical scarcity. The high rate of population growth, rapid urbanization, climate change and economic development is exacerbating these challenges, leading to a continuous deterioration of the water resources that is threatening their long-term sustainability.

Available water quality data clearly reveal that groundwater and surface water pollution is a common phenomenon across the country.

agriculture is the dominant water consumer, with 87% of all water use, and hence the major contributor to the current deficit in the water balance, which has led to groundwater mining and to many springs drying up.

Syria has, like most MENA countries, invested heavily in technology and infrastructure to store and divert water resources and to deliver water services to farmers, industries and households

Low water productivity in agriculture is a major challenge facing water management in Syria. Net returns for crops are generally quite low. Cotton and sugar, which are planted over 221,000 ha, have negative net returns (measured in social prices).