Morocco experienced its hottest year ever in 2023, marked by extreme heatwaves and severe droughts, deeply affecting agriculture and water resources, according to a report from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). The WMO highlights that 2023 broke records with temperatures soaring to 50.4°C in Agadir, 1.25°C above the 1991-2020 average. Droughts also ravaged the region, with rainfall deficits exceeding 150 mm in parts of Morocco. The Al Massira dam, the country’s second-largest, saw its water levels plummet to just 6% capacity in 2023, compared to 99% in 2013. The agricultural sector has been hit hard, with cereal production down 30% from the average due to persistent drought conditions. The WMO warns that the economic impact of these climate extremes could cost Morocco between 2% and 5% of its GDP annually, and without mitigation efforts, 118 million people across Africa could face these harsh conditions by 2030.
