ADA secures $20 million from Adaptation Fund to protect Drâa Basin oases from drought

This initiative seeks to restore traditional hydraulic systems, prevent palm grove fires, and diversify income for 250,000 direct beneficiaries. The region has seen two-thirds of its oasis heritage disappear over the last century, with national oases covering approximately 48,000 hectares and supporting over 1.7 million inhabitants. The project, titled "Strengthening the resilience of oasis ecosystems and improving the adaptation capacities of Drâa Basin communities to climate change," addresses the severe impact of warming temperatures and water scarcity on the economic and cultural backbone of provinces like Ouarzazate, Zagora, and parts of Tinghir.

Morocco is identified as a climate change hotspot, experiencing a 0.6 to 1.4 °C temperature increase in the last forty years and a 32% rainfall deficit since 2019. The Drâa Basin oases face significant vulnerabilities including water stress, groundwater salinization, violent floods, soil erosion, palm grove degradation, and dam silting. Excessive groundwater pumping in areas like Skoura, Nkob, Tazarine, Taghbalte, Fezouata, and Ouhmidi has led to declining water levels and dried up traditional irrigation channels.

The project is structured around four components: strengthening