Name of the municipality: Berkane
Population: 109,237 inhabitants (2014)
Area: 97 km2
The city of Berkane is located in the eastern region of Morocco, between the two other major cities of the Oriental: Nador located 80 km away and Oujda, 60 km away.
President: Mohamed Ibrahimi
Contact: Mr. Jamal Oujidi: oujidi61@gmail.com
Main features:
Berkane is located in the vicinity of Tafoughalt where human presence has been revealed to have happened 40,000 to 100,000 years ago. The region extends from the Algerian border (Oued Kiss) to the Moulouya River in the west (border with the Ayt Stoute tribe), it dominates a vast expanse of plains: Triffa to the north and Angad to the south. In the past, forests were very dense in this region.
The abundance of water in these mountains has favored the past settlement of the population in the villages. Berkane’s economy is based mainly on agriculture and the city is designated as the citrus capital of eastern Morocco. Berkane’s clementines and oranges are known and appreciated all over the world.
Main economic activities:
Berkane’s economy is based primarily on monetary transfers from Moroccans living abroad and on agriculture (the city is designated as the citrus capital of eastern Morocco)
In addition, the province of Berkane is the breadbasket of the Moroccan East. Many Moroccan semolina mills produce the famous couscous from the region’s wheat. It supplies the Oriental Region and the rest of Morocco with legumes and fruits.
Conditions and environmental challenges:
In order to preserve its water resources, the municipality wishes to protect its water tables by opting for the irrigation of green spaces with treated wastewater. The municipality will implement a series of actions to recover water from swimming pools and hammams in order to treat it and use it for irrigation.
The city of Berkane has been involved since 2018 with the Covenant of Mayors movement. The commune is currently preparing its Sustainable Energy Access and Climate Action Plan (SEACAP) with the assistance of the Clima-Med project.