Sectoral water footprint dynamics: An input-output structural decomposition analysis for Morocco

Abstract

Over the last decades, Morocco has been facing increasingly severe water scarcity. To quantify water use in Morocco, we refer to the water footprint (WF) concept, including both direct and indirect water use. WF considered covers internal WF and exported virtual water (VW). We used the input-output structural decomposition analysis (SDA) to quantitatively analyze the drivers of changes in Morocco’s sectoral WF from 1995 to 2015. The considered mechanisms governing WF changes are the technological, economic system efficiency, and structural effects. The WF growth experienced in Morocco primarily resulted from final demand changes. The technological effect acted as an additional increase factor. Nevertheless, the economic system efficiency effect contributed to the water conservation process. Unfortunately, it was not sufficient to reverse the expansion of Morocco’s WF resulted from other driving factors. Agriculture is the dominant economic sector in WF changes, regardless of any driving factor and any period considered. The study provides insight into Morocco’s water policy limits and helps develop policies towards sustainable water resources planning and management. That is by suggesting that final demand structure adjustment and technological innovation in the agricultural sector should be at the center of Morocco’s strategies in addressing water scarcity.