Coca-Cola Advances Morocco Wetland Restoration Project Targeting 1,200 Hectares

The Coca-Cola system in Morocco, comprising Coca-Cola and its authorized bottler, Equatorial Coca-Cola Bottling Company (ECCBC) Morocco, has announced progress on its Unite Wetlands Guardians project, which aims to restore more than 1,200 hectares of wetlands in the Oum Er-Rbia Basin. The initiative, launched in 2025 under Coca-Cola's Africa Water Stewardship Initiative, entered its operational implementation phase in October 2026. Led by Living Planet Morocco (LPM) and coordinated by Global Water Challenge (GWC), the project focuses on strengthening water security, protecting biodiversity, and improving climate resilience in one of Morocco's important watersheds.

 

The project has established governance mechanisms in collaboration with the Oum Er-Rbia Hydraulic Basin Agency, conducted technical field assessments and initiated consultations with local stakeholders to identify priority wetland restoration sites. The project's three objectives are to restore more than 1,200 hectares of wetlands, improve irrigation efficiency in agricultural areas, and provide capacity-building support to over 1,500 rural residents. These activities aim to support sustainable water management while helping farming communities respond to water scarcity and climate-related pressures. The restoration and training figures remain project targets, not completed outcomes.

 

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Implementation involves cooperation between public authorities, agricultural cooperatives, universities, civil society organizations and local communities. The initiative seeks to improve the ecological condition of the Oum Er-Rbia Basin, where wetlands play an important role in maintaining biodiversity, supporting freshwater ecosystems and regulating water availability. Ithar Khair-Allah, Director of the Oum Er-Rbia Hydraulic Basin Agency, emphasized the importance of collective action, stating, "Achieving this ambition requires the mobilization of all stakeholders - public institutions, the private sector, and citizens alike." Project partners recently gathered in Beni Mellal to review progress and outline the next phase of restoration, water management and community training activities.

 

Farid Benchekroun, General Manager of Compagnie des Boissons Marocaines et Internationales, highlighted the importance of long-term cooperation in protecting water resources. Charbel El-Beyrouthy, Coca-Cola's General Manager in Morocco, said, "Water is at the heart of our business, our communities, and the ecosystems that sustain us." Yousra Madani, President of Living Planet Morocco, also emphasized the connection between wetland restoration, biodiversity, and water security, highlighting the role of scientific expertise and community involvement in strengthening local climate resilience.

 

The project reflects growing corporate involvement in nature-based approaches to water stewardship, particularly in regions experiencing increasing pressure on freshwater resources. Its next phase will focus on implementing restoration activities, improving agricultural water efficiency and expanding community capacity-building programs. While the initiative has completed important planning and coordination milestones, the announcement does not disclose hectares already restored, measured water savings or verified biodiversity improvements. Its long-term impact will depend on successful implementation and measurable environmental and community outcomes.

 

Source: Coca‑Cola