Collective Solar Drilling
Between 2018 and 2024, a prolonged drought period made it necessary to secure access to water. Inspired by a similar installation he had observed elsewhere, Lahcen Imaï proposed to replicate this solution in his community in Errachidia Province. Fifteen members then pooled their financial resources to collectively install two solar boreholes, thus reducing individual costs and strengthening their autonomy from public aid. This project aimed to ensure sustainable access to water for irrigation in the face of the drying up of the traditional khettara (underground galleries designed to mobilize groundwater and convey it by gravity to irrigated oases. Ahmadi et al., 2010)[1]
Farm context
Agricultural operation
- Area: 2000 m² spread over about ten plots
- Experience: 48 years in agriculture
- Training: 2 years at the Faculty of Sciences of Béni Mellal
- Additional management: Also cultivates his brother’s plot, who lives in the city
Agricultural productions
- Distribution of crops:
- Use of productions:
- Production mainly intended for family consumption
Workforce
- Work carried out by Lahcen Imaï and his wife
- His son participates occasionally when available (student)
About the farmer
- Aged 65, he completed two years of studies at the Faculty of Sciences of Béni Mellal before fully dedicating himself to agriculture.
- He has presided for over ten years the Jemaa (Amghar), the traditional collective water and community affairs management body.
Implemented steps
The project began with a series of discussions within the Jemaa to collectively address the problem of the drying up of the khettara, which had become insufficient to meet water needs. This consultation led to the decision to install two deep boreholes of about 90 m each, powered by a total of 40 solar panels.
The financial organization was based on a collective of 15 members, each contributing an equal share. To reduce individual financial effort, a regular collection of contributions was set up two years before the start of the works, with monthly or bi-monthly payments. Payment for the boreholes and pumps was made in three installments spaced four months apart, allowing full payment over one year.
The works, with a total cost of €12,000 for the two boreholes, pumps, and solar panels, as well as a pump house, were completed during 2022-2023. From commissioning, water management followed the traditional Taghourt system, guaranteeing each member a water right every fifteen days.
Technical and economic results
The two boreholes are fully operational and the water sharing system works according to the traditional Taghourt principle. They are used in complement to the khettara: when it provides water, the boreholes increase the available volume; during dry periods, the pumps ensure a minimum supply to maintain crops. This complementarity guarantees continuous irrigation and reduces the risk of agricultural losses related to water availability fluctuations.
Irrigation remains mainly gravity-fed, through the seguias (irrigation canals) network originating from the khettara. The two boreholes are connected to it, using open concrete trenches to convey water to the fields. This choice avoided costly investment in pipelines but has a drawback: higher evaporation losses than in a closed network. Moreover, the scattered plots complicate the implementation of a modern and efficient irrigation system.
Environmental results
No clear environmental results have been observed. However, the pooling of the borehole among farmers inherently establishes a more rational water management: the absence of direct competition for borehole use promotes potentially more balanced and sustainable resource use.
Points of vigilance
As president of the traditional water management collective (Jemaa), Lahcen Imaï emphasizes that the key to preserving the group's sustainability lies in the cohesion among its members. He considers it essential to make firm and consensual decisions: as long as no clear agreement is reached, the meeting continues. Each member must be able to express their viewpoint, and the decision is then collectively made on the spot.
Summary
Lahcen Imaï says he is satisfied with the installation of the two boreholes, considering that the project fully met the collective’s expectations. If he were to repeat the experience, he would proceed the same way. In terms of improvement, he repeatedly mentions the modernization of the irrigation network, which would reduce evaporation losses and optimize water supply.
Further reading
For further reading, here is a scientific article published by Cirad (International Cooperation Center for Agronomic Research for Development) presenting the installation of a khettara associated with a solar pumping system in the same region (Drâa-Tafilalet): Read the article.[2]
Photo gallery of Lahcen Imaï’s plots
Sources
Interview with Lahcen Imaï conducted in 2025.
- ↑ Ahmadi H, Nazari Samani A, Malekian A. 2010. The Qanat: A living history in Iran. In: Schneier-Madanes G, Courel M-F, eds. Water and sustainability in arid regions: Bridging the gap between physical and social sciences. Dordrecht (The Netherlands): Springer, pp. 125–138. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-2776-4_8
- ↑ Khardi Y., Lacombe G., Kuper M., Taky A., Bouarfa S, Hammani A. 2023. Pump or disappear: the dilemma of strengthening khettaras by solar pumping in Moroccan oases. Cahier agricultures, Volume 32. https://doi.org/10.1051/cagri/2022030
This page was written in partnership with the Urbane project and with the financial support of the European Union.
