Aghbalou

Water is essential for food security and livelihood, especially for the millions of rural poor who rely on agriculture. Aghbalou combines a local story of struggle with a global call to action against the growing challenge of sustaining water supplies in the face of an increasingly hostile climate. Half of Morocco's population is employed in agriculture and therefore dependent upon groundwater for both food and employment. The Todgha Valley in Southern Morocco is one of the driest habitats on earth. Yet, residents have successfully sustained their livelihoods and agriculture for centuries through an ancient system of underground channels. But today these age-old communities face new threats and challenges from groundwater over-extraction, population growth, and climate change, among others. The film also shows how new technologies can present unintended problems for the rural poor. When motorized water pumps were introduced to the region, they provided more water, but affected the balance of aquifers and eventually water wasn't as easy to reach as it once had been, plus the cost was too high for poorer farmers. Featuring local farmers from the Todgha Valley and international experts, Aghbalou presents potential strategies to adapt to growing water scarcity and insure a secure future for the rural poor.