Résumé
Installing a tube well is common sense for farmers on the Saiss plain (Morocco) for agro-economic reasons. However, access to groundwater also reveals deeper socio-emotional realities that explain why farmers seek individual access to water. Possessing one's "own water" represents a level of social development for the fellahs, which allows him to emancipate himself from "outdated" agriculture that can curb dignity and self-esteem. The problem for the farmer is not the water availability itself. The challenge is to bring together the agreement of his family, the local authorities, the social group, and the river basin agency. The unprecedented orientation towards irrigated agriculture using subterranean groundwater sources is leading to overexploitation. It begs the question of what may happen to these farmers who invest all their efforts into installing a tube well.