Stakeholders engagement in Integrated Water Resources Management in the Saïss Basin, Morocco: Challenges and Responses under climate change conditions

Water stress and groundwater overexploitation constitute critical challenges to water sustainability in semi-arid regions. In Morocco, the Saïss Basin represents a strategic agricultural area facing increasing pressure on groundwater resources due to intensive irrigation, fragmented governance, and limited coordination among water stakeholders. This study assesses the effectiveness of stakeholder’s integration within the Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) framework, with a focus on governance, participation, and decision-making processes. A mixed-methods approach was adopted, combining stakeholder surveys, institutional analysis, and a SWOT-based evaluation to address both technical and socio-institutional dimensions of water management. Key stakeholders’ groups, including public authorities, water agencies, agricultural users, and local organizations, were analyzed in terms of their roles, interactions, and influence on groundwater management. The results reveal a persistent gap between IWRM principles and their practical implementation, characterized by limited stakeholder coordination, uneven participation, and sectoral fragmentation. While institutional frameworks for IWRM exist, their operationalization remains constrained by power asymmetries, insufficient data sharing, and weak integration of local actors in decision-making. The SWOT analysis highlights opportunities for improving stakeholder engagement through participatory platforms, capacity building, and the integration of scientific knowledge into policy processes.

This study provides evidence-based insights into the governance barriers hindering effective IWRM implementation in groundwater-dependent regions. The findings contribute to ongoing debates on adaptive water governance and offer practical recommendations to strengthen stakeholder integration as a pathway toward sustainable groundwater management and the achievement of SDG 6 in arid and semi-arid regions.