« Erg Chebbi, better known as the dunes of Merzouga, is one of the two great ergs of the Sahara in Morocco » (1) in the south-east of the country (Le Tafilalet). The dunes can reach a height of 150 meters and extend about 22 km long by 5 km wide and are surrounded by several oases. Erg Chebbi « is the result of the disintegration of soil due to torrential rains that hit the region during the Quaternary era. The wind is responsible for piling up all the sand carried by the powerful hydraulic systems that came down from the Atlas. » (2). Morocco - December 2016.
(1) Wikipedia. Erg Chebbi [online]. Available at: https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erg_Chebbi (accessed July 2020).
(2) Guide du Routard Maroc 2020. Erg Chebbi [online]. Available at: https://books.google.fr/books?id=hNLHDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA510&lpg=PA510&dq=Il (accessed July 2020).
*https://www.auberge-africa.com/guide/tourisme-merzouga/bain-de-sable/ (consulted on 08/16/2020)
- Camel milking at the entrance to Merzouga, which also has a palm grove typical of Saharan oases. Morocco - December 2016.
- Near the El Mansour Eddahbi dam in Ouarzazate at the foot of the Atlas, which irrigates the entire Drâa valley. Morocco - December 2016.
Conclusion of an interesting article concerning the water stress in Morocco:
« With the ever increasing demand for water, declining irregular rainfall and average dam level, the problem of water stress cannot be solved. It can only be controlled through education about wasting water and electricity and by expanding, promoting and encouraging rainwater harvesting in cities. Dams and seawater desalination plants are only pushing back the deadline of an ever-increasing water stress that looms on the horizon. »*
*Al HuffPost Maghreb. Hydric Stress [online]. Available at: https://www.huffpostmaghreb.com/entry/stress-hydrique-et-construction-de-barrages-un-algorithme-bancal_mg_5d960d42e4b0da7f6622c94f (accessed July 2020).
In the review, Men & Migrations, in the chapter "The disruption of environmental balances", we found many reservations concerning this dam:
« Under the natural conditions described above, the average flow from Oued Drâa to Zagora is 13.4 m3/s, the maximum recorded in 1965 reached 213 m3/s against only 0.13 m3/s in August of the same year. Thus, alongside the increasing scarcity and irregularity of water, its salinity is increasing. Many plagues devastate the oases: soil impoverishment, loss of plant cover, silting up, and consequently the decline in yields.
In order to partially remedy these problems the State built the El Mansour Eddahbi dam* in 1972. Designed to stem floods, regulate the flow in addition to the production of electricity and supplying urban centers with drinking water, this dam has generated perverse effects by disrupting the water table, stopping the natural fertilization of the soil and drying up Lake Iriqi, once frequented by large fauna and by nomads. This disruption of the already fragile ecological system has reinforced the tendency towards desertification. The advancement of the desert is a natural response that did not take long to come. Sand dunes are now part of the landscape in M’hamid, Ktaoua, Fezouata, and even in Ternata upstream from Zagora. They invade fields, bury equipment including canals, roads and homes, despite the efforts made by the technical services of the State and civil society. […] »**
*The dam's storage capacity is 560 million m3 of water.
**https://journals.openedition.org/hommesmigrations/1241#tocto1n4 (accessed 08/16/2020)
*http://aujourdhui.ma/economie/tarfaya-le-nouveau-parc-eolien-bientot-operationnel-105759 (consulted on 08/16/2020)
We found in The Economist:
« […] To date, wind power, which is being deployed, has a capacity of 550 MW in the region. Several parks have been built for a total investment of 9.22 billion DH. 2014 was marked by the development of the wind energy in Tarfaya (300 megawatts), Foum el-Oued (50 megawatts), Akhfenir 1 (100 megawatts). As for the start of production from the Akhfenir 2 wind farm, with a total capacity of 100 megawatts, it was put into service in 2017. […] »*
*https://www.leconomiste.com/article/1045496-solaire-eolien-deuxieme-vague-de-projets (accessed 08/16/2020)
More generally one often hears, as in this opinion article etitled "Morocco, an African champion of renewable energy" that:
« […] The share of renewables in the energy mix rose from less than 2% in 2008 to 38% at the end of 2018. Projects already launched, such as the extension of Noor Ouarzazate, the construction of the Midelt solar station and initiatives in wind power in the north of the country and in the Sahara suggest that the 42% target will be reached in 2020. In the meantime, dependence on fossil fuels, estimated at 98% in 2008, has been reduced to 93% at end of 2018. »*
*https://www.lopinion.fr/edition/international/maroc-champion-africain-l-energie-renouvelable-193199 (accessed 08/16/2020)
- A Spanish technician secures the basket where his colleagues are. He wears special boots on his feet to protect himself from snakebites. Akhfenir, Morocco - December 2016.
We found this in the AgriMaroc article "Seawater desalination to combat hydric stress" concerning the controversial desalination technique at the Akhfénir facility:
« At a time of climate change with its share of constraints and complex and varied issues related to the management of water resources, the use of seawater desalination techniques is essential as an effective and relevant solution to deal with the deficit in this vital resource in coastal regions subject to high water stress. […] It was in fact in 1975 that the first installation for demineralization by electrodialysis of brackish water was installed in the center of the town of Tarfaya, with a production capacity of 75 m3/d. […]
Today, ONEE (1) supplies around ten localities with drinking water from seawater desalination, or brackish water demineralization, with a total operating capacity of around 100,000 m3/day. These localities are mainly Lâayoune, Boujdour, Dakhla, a fishing village in Sidi El Ghazi, Daoura, and Roc Chicco, Tan Tan, Akhfénir, Tarfaya, Tagounite and Khénifra. […] »*
The controversy can be found in this other GEO article, for example, which begins like this: « More and more necessary, desalination plants around the world also produce more toxic waste than water, according to a report published on Monday (2 ), an illustration of the many dilemmas generated by the environmental crisis. »**
(1) ONEE: National Office for Electricity and Drinking Water
(2) Monday January 14, 2019
*https://www.agrimaroc.ma/dessalement-eau-stress-hydrique/
**https://www.geo.fr/environnement/a-la-sortie-des-usines-de-desalinisation-plus-de-rejets-toxiques-que-deau-194165 (consulted on 08/16/2020)
*http://www.errachidia.ma/Tourisme.htm (consulted on 08/16/2020)
*https://www.mackoo.com/Maroc/sud-ziz.htm (accessed 08/16/2020)
On the net we read this in an article in La Nouvelle Tribune entitled "Water stress, suffering oases":
« […] During the COP22, Morocco, which has lost two thirds of its oases in a century, presented an action plan called the "Sustainable Oasis" whose objective is the preservation of oasis regions which are particularly vulnerable to climate change. This proposal accompanies the other Moroccan proposal, AAA (Adaptation Afrique Agriculture), which aims to achieve mitigation objectives and better access to funding for ongoing projects of this type. This initiative was based on Article 7 of the Paris Agreement, which sets out the need to protect the most vulnerable ecosystems, such as oases, home to 2 billion people (28% of the world's population). […] »*
*https://lnt.ma/stress-hydrique-oasis-souffrance/ (accessed 08/16/2020)
In the same article in La Nouvelle Tribune as the one already quoted in the previous caption, it is written in conclusion:
« "Sustainable Oasis" aims at a better recognition of the uniqueness and vulnerability of oases, the implementation of actions to preserve the oasis heritage, in particular its biodiversity and its human system and the enhancement of the economic potential of the oases in a vision of sustainable development.
The final objective of all these initiatives is to fight against desertification and against poverty by safeguarding and enhancing the oases, a human heritage that should be protected and preserved. »*
*https://lnt.ma/stress-hydrique-oasis-souffrance/ (accessed 08/16/2020)
On the net, in an article by AgriMaroc we found:
« The filling rate of the Hassan Addakhil dam in Errachidia is declining. The Hassan Addakhil dam in Errachidia is recording a constantly declining filling rate, it is currently at 23% of total capacity.
The filling rate of the Hassan Addakhil dam in Errachidia stood at 23% as of August 28, or a volume of approximately 72 million m3, against 40% during the same period of 2016 (126 million m3). The Guir-Ziz-Rheris Hydraulic Basin Agency (ABH) attributes this decrease to the rainfall deficit experienced during the hydrological year 2016-2017.
During the period from September 1, 2016 to August 28, 2017, the volume returned for irrigation needs downstream of the Hassan Addakhil water reservoir amounted to 90 million m3, according to the same source, noting that the irrigation program for the 2016-2017 agricultural year provides for a total volume of water releases of around 84 million m3.
The storage capacity of the Hassan Addakhil dam, built in 1971, is 312.8 million m3, making it one of the most important dams in Morocco. »*
* https://www.agrimaroc.ma/barrage-errachidia-faible-remplissage/ (accessed 08/16/2020)
Article found on the subject in the magazine Maroc Diplomatique entitled "In Drâa-Tafilalet, water stress, a brake on development, water transfer between basins a panacea":
« The water deficit is an obstacle to the development of Drâa Tafilalt, a region whose economy is heavily dependent on agriculture.
This phenomenon due to climatic disturbances requires an urgent solution which takes into account the local context to strengthen the bases of growth and sedentarize populations.
Indeed, the problem posed by water stress is becoming a source of concern. Despite the sustained efforts made by the state in recent years to build dams, the needs are growing and the situation is alarming so much that the inhabitants prefer to emigrate because of the lack of water.
The rainfall deficit recorded in the region during the hydrological year 2016-17 and the first quarter of the current year reached 50 pc compared to the annual average and 80 pc compared to the previous year, according to the Agency of the Guir-Ziz-Rhéris hydraulic basin.
Also, surface water inflows recorded at Drâa-Tafilalet in 2016-2017 showed a deficit of 44 pc compared to the annual average and 20 pc compared to the previous year. The mainly quaternary aquifers, which constitute the main source of water supply to the population, have also suffered "a substantial drop" ranging from 0.5 to 1.5 meters, the same source indicates.
For specialists, the situation could worsen in the future because of climatic variations, especially in this territory affected by extreme phenomena such as drought. […] »*
(1) Oued: River of North Africa, of Near East
* https://maroc-diplomatique.net/a-draa-tafilalet-stress-hydrique-frein-developpement-transfert-deau-interbassin-panacee/ (accessed 08/18/2020)
(1) « This technique of khettaras is considered to be one of the oldest cultivation water management systems, dating back to ancient Persia more than 3,000 years ago. In Afghanistan they are called "kiraz", in Iran "quanat", in Algeria they are called "fouggara", in Morocco "khettara", in Yemen "aflaj", in China "karez", in Syria "kanawat". Concretely, it involves matching the configuration of the land to mobilize rainwater and groundwater, in order to supply the water table. So first, develop the watersheds to collect water at a desired point. Then, dig an underground gallery which, by the simple effect of gravity, leads the water into the regions under cultivation 10 to 20 kilometers farther away. »*
*http://www.rfi.fr/emission/20131109-khettara-une-technique-ancestrale-irrigation-maroc (consulted on 08/18/2020)
- Well of a khettara open to tourists in Fezna. Morocco - December 2016.
An interesting document on the subject in [COP 22] MOROCCO - Water, Planet and Peoples, dossier "Les Khettaras du TAFILALET ..."
« […] The reserve capacity of the Quaternary water table in the Fezna, Jorf and Hanabou sector has been estimated at 30 million cubic meters. But, with the exception of 3 khettaras restored in 2005, all the khettaras that had belonged to the communities of Fezna are now dry: the substitute water is now that of individual wells, pumping stations and water diversion works for the overflow from the Wadi Ghries (dams and canals). The result is a field of wells and abandoned galleries that have become communal property […] Regarding the irrigation of the Jorf palm grove, the risk of its 28 khettaras drying up could have represented a real problem of water insecurity because of the absence of any real alternative in supply, due to its distance from the diversion channels of the wadi and to the salinity of the water of the individual wells drilled at the margin of the Quaternary layer.
Fortunately, the drying up trend of the khettaras was reversed here thanks to three factors: the replenishing of the water table following several rainy years, the clearance and decongestion campaign undertaken in 2005, and finally the abandonment of the underground drains of Fezna. So much so that in 2013, 25 khettaras delivered 12 million cubic meters annually, whereas in the 1960s, 22 of them released half as much. This is how the Jorf palm grove saw the inhabitants who had left it come back to it, causing an urban exodus phenomenon sufficiently rare for the villagers to rejoice, for the regional authorities and the scientific community to welcome it. […] This is the message we want to convey at COP22. The Moroccan people can be proud of the water heritage they have created and maintained over the centuries. Moroccan and international public authorities must assess the measure, protect and develop it, as an exceptional response to the threats posed by climate change. »*
*https://www.france-libertes.org/wp-content/uploads/save/pdf/les_khettaras_du_tafilalet_au_maroc.pdf (accessed 08/18/2020)
Here is an interesting article on the subject from L'Économiste and entitled "The khettaras of Tafilalet, a precious heritage to be preserved":
« […] With the help of a bucket, a winch and with the strength of the arms, the clay or the sand which obstructs the channel at the time of the floods is cleared and deposited around the well. This is how the characteristic mounds of khettaras are formed, which at the same time serve to protect the wells from silting up. This system of dredging spring water in the mountains sometimes extends ten kilometers further to bring back the water by simple gravity. […]
Thus, during the drought season, each ksar deploys its members to dig a new well upstream of the khettara in order to drain the water. At Grand Tafilalet, there are just over 500 khettaras, of which only 340 are still functional today. «The succession of droughts and the abandonment of maintenance, mainly due to the scarcity of workers who left to work in the city, have led to the gradual disappearance of the khettaras. This ancestral irrigation system has been abandoned in favor of wells dug on site at the level of the oasis, using motor pumps», explains Daoud Fanissi, from the regional agricultural investment office in Errachidia. Indeed, faced with the phenomenon of rural exodus and the fragmentation of land in the oasis environment, this ancestral genius is threatened with extinction. […]
But for several years, state agencies or private interests have been working to revive this heritage. Thus, khettaras rehabilitation programs were launched as part of the Green Morocco plan, or international programs, which allowed the rehabilitation of several abandoned khettaras, through funding and support of agricultural projects in the region of Drâa Tafilalet. […] It is in this sense that the knowledge related to the Tafilalet khettaras system has recently been the subject of a project for inscription on the list of intangible heritage of Unesco. A second initiative concerns the practices and know-how linked to the palm tree. With the recognition of Unesco, this ancestral heritage will be taken to a higher level with international visibility and a positive future for the local oasis population. »*
*https://www.leconomiste.com/article/1016222-les-khettaras-du-tafilalet-un-patrimoine-precieux-preserver (consulted 8/18/2020)
- Struggle against silting up using "green fences" not far from Jorf. Morocco - December 2016.
On the subject, here is the extract from an article read at Le Point and which has the title "In Morocco, the oases increasingly threatened by the advance of the desert":
« "Anyone who stays here is doomed to poverty," sighs Abdelrahman. In south-eastern Morocco, the outskirts of Er-Rissani illustrate the dramatic drying up of oases, threatened with disappearing due to global warming. […] "The oases are part of the natural wealth of Morocco […]. Today, these islands of greenery lost in the desert are confronted with the impacts of climate change ", warns the World Climate Conference COP22, which opens Monday in Marrakech.
For centuries, they have formed an impregnable shield against desertification. But they are now suffering from drought and a sharp drop in the water table -a consequence of its overexploitation and poor management of surface water- and accelerated urbanization. At COP22, Morocco, which has lost two-thirds of its oases in a century, will present an action plan for the safeguarding of these ecosystems on the planet, including a new proposal called "the sustainable oasis".
Rabat has seized on the problem for several years, notably with the "Green Morocco" plan, launched in 2008 to restructure its agriculture. […] »*
*https://www.lepoint.fr/monde/au-maroc-les-oasis-toujours-plus-menacees-par-l-avancee-du-desert-05-11-2016-2080972_24.php (consulted on 18/08/2020)
An excerpt seen concerning this palm grove in a study published in 2008 in Partage des eaux (Resources and information for fair and sustainable water management):
« […] However, significant progress has been noted, since 12 kilometers of foggara (1) have recently been rehabilitated in Marrakech, and that in the Moroccan oasis of Jorf (in Tafilalet), the rehabilitation of the kattaras (2) enabled a real rebirth of the ecosystem. Likewise, in Tunisia, an aqueduct from Roman times has recently been returned to use."***
(1) « The foggara is designed on the model of the "qanat" of Mesopotamia and Persia, which Herodotus mentioned as early as the fifth century BC. « The excavation work progressed from downstream to upstream, that is to say that we attacked the groundwater at its point of outcrop and that we pushed the horizontal gallery until the flow had become sufficient ». […]
The foggara is an underground pipe built to supply gardens when it is not possible to dig wells. It is a conduit of 2 to 10, even 15 km in length and 1 m to 1.20 m in diameter, which allows the passage of a man stooped over when it is necessary to carry out maintenance work. On the surface, the stone cairns (built in town) mark the path of the foggara between the water table and the reception basin. Built every 12 to 15 m, they protect the orifice by making it possible to monitor the flow and, if necessary, to descend into the foggara to clear the precise point of the gallery which could become obstructed. […]
If the ingenuity of the process lies in its design and its adaptation to the conditions of the Saharan climate, by limiting evaporation to a minimum, it ensures a supply at a constant rate without the constant risk of drying up the water table - it has made it possible to create an agriculture in the deep Sahara and to eliminate the exhausting chores which, elsewhere, take up most of the time of the inhabitants. »*
(2) Foggara, khettara: « In Afghanistan they are called" kiraz ", in Iran" quanat ", in Algeria they are called" fouggara ", in Morocco" khettara ", in Yemen" aflaj ", in China" karez ", in Syria “kanawat”. »**
*http://www.cerclealgerianiste.fr/index.php/archives/encyclopedie-algerianiste/territoire/geographie-du-territoire/geo-economie/economie-agricole/68-la-foggara-un-ingenieux-systeme-d-irrigation
**http://www.rfi.fr/emission/20131109-khettara-une-technique-ancestrale-irrigation-maroc
***https://www.partagedeseaux.info/Techniques-traditionnelles-de-l-eau-dans-le-Maghreb-foggaras-et-meskats (consulted on 08/18/2020)
We found this on the web:
« Merzouga - Civil society pleads for the protection of oases, the fight against desertification and the consolidation of water management in these ecosystems, Lahcen Kabiri, the president of the Saharan Association for tourist and cultural development, said on Saturday [April 15, 2017] in Merzouga, Lahcen Kabiri.
The oases of Daraâ-Tafilalelt suffer from water scarcity, mainly due to frequent droughts and floods and pressure on water resources, which has forced civil society to act and to formulate recommendations to adapt these natural resources to climate change, explained Mr. Kabiri during a conference organized as part of the 5th edition of the International Merzouga Festival. […] The collective management of water is one of the keys to the sustainability of this essential resource for the survival of human beings, unlike the individual system, where everyone has the freedom to do with it what he wants, he concluded. »*
*http://mapecology.ma/initiatives/merzouga-societe-civile-plaide-protection-oasis/ (consulted on 08/18/2020)
These photos were difficult for me to take mainly due to the saturation of the population with exposure to so-called mass tourism. People were afraid, for example, of being on Facebook, that I would make photomontages to make fun of them with the images, etc.
*https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merzouga (consulted on 08/18/2020)
(1) Khettaras: « Concretely, it is about following the configuration of the land to mobilize rainwater and groundwater, in order to supply the water table. So first, develop the watersheds to collect water at a desired point. Then, dig an underground gallery which, by the simple effect of gravity, leads the water into the cultivation perimeters 10 to 20 kilometers further. »*
*http://www.rfi.fr/emission/20131109-khettara-une-technique-ancestrale-irrigation-maroc (consulted on 08/18/2020)
(1) Khettaras: « Concretely, it is about following the configuration of the land to mobilize rainwater and groundwater, in order to supply the water table. So first, develop the watersheds to collect water at a desired point. Then, dig an underground gallery which, by the simple effect of gravity, leads the water into the cultivation perimeters 10 to 20 kilometers further. »*
*http://www.rfi.fr/emission/20131109-khettara-une-technique-ancestrale-irrigation-maroc (consulted on 08/18/2020)
- A young man with his little daughter in Jorf in the south-east of the country (Tafilalet region). Morocco - December 2016.
On their website we found:
« Since 1998, CARI has been working in favor of populations in arid zones, particularly in Africa. It implements agricultural development projects aiming at the food security of populations through the use of methods combining environment and profitability. Today, eight countries of the Maghreb and the Sahel are directly concerned by the activities of CARI. »*
(1) CARI: Center for International Actions and Achievements
*http://www.cariassociation.org/ (consulted on 08/18/2020)
The small association's mission is to "Federate French stakeholders in desertification", "Save the oases", "Sustainably manage land in the Sahel", and "Promote agroecology" *.
(1) CARI: Center for International Actions and Achievements
*http://www.cariassociation.org/ (consulted on 08/18/2020)
On their website we found:
« CARI is an international solidarity association that has been working since 1998 with rural populations around the Saharan region.
The association has a vocation of development aid by supporting small agriculture as a bulwark against food crises and as a lever for development. Its actions are mainly oriented towards the fight against desertification and land degradation in arid zones.
CARI carries out both actions on the ground with rural populations and internationally advocates the need for sustainable agriculture based on the principles of agroecology. »*
(1) CARI: Center for International Actions and Achievements
*http//www.cariassociation.org/ (consulted on 08/18/2020)
On their website we found:
« The already very arid lands of the Sahel are particularly affected by climate change.
CARI's intervention in the Sahel is part of a desire to improve the situation of rural populations who are faced with the degradation of natural resources, particularly land.
Due to the aridity of its climate, the Sahel is an area whose ecosystem balances are particularly fragile. These balances are threatened by the growing needs of the population, but also by climate change. »*
(1) CARI: Center for International Actions and Achievements
*http://www.cariassociation.org/Axes-d-intervention/Save-the-oases (consulted on 08/20/2020)
On their website we found:
« Many actors (associations, NGOs, scientists, institutions) intervene in favor of sustainable land management in the Sahel, but in an uncoordinated manner. CARI improves the structuring of the associative environment around the theme of the fight against desertification.
It supports the construction of national and international civil society advocacy on issues of combating desertification, so that land is taken into account as a central element of sustainable development issues.
CARI also supports actors in the fight against desertification in the Sahel in order to improve their practices and their capacity to intervene in synergy.
CARI is also developing bilateral collaborations with its partners in Sahel countries. »*
(1) CARI: Center for International Actions and Achievements
*www.cariassociation.org/Axes-d-intervention/Save-the-oases (consulted on 08/20/2020)
On their website we found:
« Since its creation, CARI has supported local initiatives to contribute to the resilience of arid lands. CARI defends local, intensive and diversified agriculture for the growing autonomy of populations in economic, social and environmental terms. CARI's action has resulted in the implementation of exchanges between agronomists, allowing the sharing of sustainable production techniques (for better water conservation or the enhancement of animal resources, among others). »*
(1) CARI: Center for International Actions and Achievements
*http://www.cariassociation.org/Axes-d-intervention/Promouvoir-l-agroecologie (consulted on 08/20/2020)
On their website we found:
« CARI is part of an agroecological transition process. It is time to recognize the limits of intensive and industrial agricultural systems, to redefine agriculture to strengthen its links with livestock farming and local socio-economic specificities and to advocate for national and international policies in favor of territorial development by local people. »*
(1) CARI: Center for International Actions and Achievements
*http://www.cariassociation.org/Axes-d-intervention/Promouvoir-l-agroecologie (consulted on 08/20/2020)
In a video (see link below) recounting the experience which lasted 3 years in this 6 hectare farm supporting 3 families, Christophe Brossé (from the association) cites rainfall statistics of 60 mm per year on soil poor in organic matter which generates a lot of runoff, therefore erosion, and a lot of evaporation which require an "optimization of water resources" which is implemented, among other actions, by an irrigation system (drop-by-drop for example) other than the traditional techniques in oases by submersion or flooding of plots.**
(1) CARI: Center for International Actions and Achievements
*http://www.cariassociation.org/
**https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSYI_fcZA-s (accessed 08/18/2020)
Read on the city's Wikipedia page:
« Agricultural activities and immigration are the pillars of the economy of this region.
Indeed, its privileged geographical location, its favorable climate, and its underground water resources a diversified agricultural production.
The main vegetable production sectors are beet, the multiplication of cereal seeds, olive trees, citrus fruits and pomegranate. These sectors participate respectively with 25%, 30%, 8%, 14% and 40% of national production.
The city is also known for the milk production. Two large milk production factories set up on the outskirts of the city: Central Dairy with a production capacity of 1,050,000 liters per day and Safilait 400,000 liters / day.
However, these activities remain insufficient to employ the majority of the young population. Therefore, young people are heading to Europe to improve their economic situations. »*
*https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fkih_Ben_Salah (accessed 08/18/2020)
On the net we found this:
« Morocco occupies 9th place in the top 10 major producers of olive oil. The kingdom's production is around 85,000 tons.
This position of Morocco is largely justified by the improvement in the quality of its olive oil. […] Spain, Tunisia and Turkey respectively occupy the top three places in this ranking. These three countries provide stiff competition to the kingdom. »*
*https://www.bladi.net/huile-olive-marocaine-monde,64817.html (accessed 08/18/2020)
We found a 2012 report entitled "International migrations, associated networks and territorial development - the case of the “countryside” of Taliouine-Morocco" where we can read on page 15:
« This area, which relies mainly on subsistence agriculture, experiences difficult natural conditions characterized by isolation, the attenuated nature of agricultural land and endemic drought. It is one of the regions of Morocco where human development indicators are the lowest and therefore constitutes a traditional center of emigration to the north of the country and abroad. Despite all these constraints, added to liabilities in terms of equipment, good governance and measures capable of channeling investments, the emergence of a new generation of enterprising migrants strongly attached to the “countryside” will reverse the situation by making a land with a reputation of being restricted and unappealing evolve towards a territory open to the modernization of its socio-economic structures and attractive through its experience of endogenous development. »*
*https://www.migdev.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/R rapport-final-de-Taliouine-revu-8mai12.pdf (consulted on 08/18/2020)
(1) « An agadir (plural igoudar, igudar, igidar) is a fortified collective granary. Construction is often done on collective land. The construction materials are: lime, adobe, dry stones, bricks. Everyone had their own compartment. The doors are made of wood. The highest compartments were accessed by a palm tree ladder. Most of these granaries are now abandoned. Food was kept dry there. One also stored daily foodstuffs such as dates, figs, loaves of salt or more precious objects such as sheepskins, weapons and ammunition, festive clothes, henna, title deeds... Ifri's granary, near Taliouine, is entrenched under a huge rock shelter. »*
*http://fanaumaroc.canalblog.com/archives/2015/11/29/32996066.html (consulted on 08/18/2020)
- Abandoned terraced crops on the road to Targua N’Touchka oasis.
In the Souss-Massa region, around 100 km from Agadir. Morocco - December 2016.
We found in an article these initiatives to counterbalance the abandonment widely observed in this region:
« A program has also been put in place to combat erosion linked to torrential rains, in particular with terrace cultivation and the planting of trees that can better fix the soil.
Today 60% of Moroccans live in urban areas. To prevent the desertification of the countryside, the government encourages the creation of cooperatives. »*
*https://fr.euronews.com/2016/11/22/maroc-developpement-rural-et-creation-de-cooperatives (consulted on 08/18/2020)
Due to the water stress associated with climate change this crop is becoming very uncertain and many people on the ground have told me that they are now hesitant to sow it.
For context, one reads in the publication entitled "Economic modeling of the impact of climate change on water resources: the case of the Souss-Massa basin (Morocco)":
« Located between the Atlantic Ocean and the High Atlas Mountains and the Anti-Atlas, the Souss-Massa basin extends approximately over 27,880 km², or 4% of the national territory. The predominantly arid climate of the region is characterized by irregularity and spatial and temporal variability of precipitation. The choice of the Souss-Massa basin, one of the areas most affected by climate change and suffering from a very high water deficit, is motivated by the economic position occupied by this basin and the increasing scarcity of water for which faces this area.
Indeed, the significant tourist development and the considerable contribution of this basin to national agricultural exports (leader in the export of fruits and vegetables out of season), combined with the demographic pressure and the urbanization that this area is experiencing, means that the demand for water has become unsustainable. There are already water deficits in groundwater resources which have reached 300 Mm3 (ABHSM, 2009). This imposes emergency plans, not only to rationalize the use of current resources, but also to increase the supply of water. »*
*https://newmedit.iamb.it/share/img_new_medit_articoli/1069_10elame.pdf (consulted on 08/18/2020)
This area, located in the mountains, is the victim of a strong rural exodus. On this subject we found "Projections of the population of the provinces and communes of the Souss-Massa Region 2014-2030":
« The urban component of the region's population will greatly contribute to the projected state of demographic development. Indeed, the rate of urban growth (2.72%) greatly exceeds the national average (1.70%) and augurs well for a constant improvement in the rate of urbanization, which is expected to approach 70% for the region, on the horizon. 2030.
As a corollary, the rural component of the region's population will maintain its downward trend since it will evolve at (-0.90%) by 2030 against (-0.36%) at the national level. The south-south-eastern, central-south and north-north-western parts of the region, already trapped in a massive rural exodus, will continue to suffer the effect of depopulation with sometimes critical proportions for certain mountain areas. »*
*https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwj50K_Y2PzpAhVuDmMBHbT5AGYQFjADegQIAxAB&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hcp.ma%2Ffile%2F199178%2F&usg=AOvVaw29yFU_RLMpJvOsckThVcdf (consulted on 18/08/2020)
In a National Geographic article titled "Water Shortage: Morocco Raising the Alarm Signal" we read among other things:
« […] The World Resources Institute (WRI) indicates that Morocco will reach an extremely high level of water stress by 2040. Water stress is the state in which a region finds itself when its demand for water exceeds its available resources. It is estimated that a region is under water stress when it drops below the symbolic threshold of 1,000 cubic meters of fresh water per capita over a period of one year. According to the UN, Morocco is already considered in water stress with only 500 cubic meters of fresh water per inhabitant per year, against 2,500 cubic meters in 1960. This decrease is explained by an almost non-existent 2015-2016 rainy season and by the natural aridity of certain regions of Morocco. […] »*
*https://www.nationalgeographic.fr/environnement/penurie-deau-le-maroc-tire-le-signal-dalarme (consulted on 08/18/2020)
- Abandoned terrace where once the wheat was threshed.
- After the market, a man waits in the shade for his bus.
In a National Geographic article titled "Water Shortage: Morocco Raising the Alarm" we read among other things:
« Every minute, five people die in the world because they do not have access to potable water. Moreover the UN considers that by 2030 demand for water will have exceeded global production by 40%. This new blue gold appears to be a major environmental issue, a fortiori, in countries of sub-Saharan Africa and North Africa. Forecasts for Morocco estimate the loss of its water resources at 80% over the next 25 years. »*
*https://www.nationalgeographic.fr/environnement/penurie-deau-le-maroc-tire-le-signal-dalarme (consulted on 08/18/2020)
- Tafraoute in the Anti-Atlas. Morocco - November 2016.
Images taken in Argan Cooperatives run by women. Souss-Massa region. Morocco - November 2016.
« […] Tafraout is a small Amazigh [Berber] town located south of Agadir and renowned for its wonderful valley of rocks with pink hues. In the middle of forests and colorful houses, the inhabitants cultivate cereals, almonds, olives, but above all argan. This dream setting nevertheless hides certain disparities within the region, a significant rural exodus and land. […]
Argan oil is known for its use in traditional cooking and for its cosmetic properties valued in body oils or in soap. They sell these natural products created by from traditional methods at several outlets within the region. […] »*
Regarding women's cooperatives we found this:
« […] This type of organized work has seen a strong development at the national level in recent years and the Ministries, as well as many international organizations, present it as a good solution for the empowerment of women in particularly in the rural world. Critical interpretations, at the local level, have developed in parallel showing how women find themselves confined to "small projects for women" which keep them in their vulnerable situation, do not resolve the issue of informality of work and add constraints to them on a daily basis. […] »**
*https://www.agrimaroc.ma/rencontre-avec-une-agricultrice-de-tafraout/
**https://journals.openedition.org/eps/6619 (consulted on 08/18/2020)
In an article published on 03/04/2020 entitled "The lack of water in Morocco worries" we read:
« Morocco’s current water shortage is causing a lot of damage. Several regions of the country are on the brink of crisis and the situation at the dams is at its lowest. The latest figures show that the average filling rate of dams is 47.8% against 63% in the same period last year. Panic affects farmers while the Interior wants to raise awareness around waste. A national program launched in January 2020 by King Mohammed VI aims to remedy this worrying situation. »*
*https://www.lebrief.ma/4983-le-manque-deau-au-maroc-inquiete (consulted on 08/18/2020)
In an article published on 03/04/2020 entitled "The lack of water in Morocco worries" we read:
« It's a fact. Morocco is going through a period of unprecedented water scarcity. The Economist reveals, in its edition of March 4, that the filling rate of dams is in free fall (47.8% on average currently against 63% in March 2019). Some dams are almost empty. Among them, that of Lalla Takerkoust (7% water), Abdelmoumen (11.3%) or that of Youssef Ben Tachfine (13.6%) and Al Massira (15.8%). The Haouz region is the most threatened, followed by the regions of Souss-Massa, Doukkala Abda, Fès-Saiss and the pre Rif. This data is likely to worsen in the coming weeks. The prospect of possible rain is not on the agenda, as the weather forecast does not give exact indications of the situation. […] »*
*https://www.lebrief.ma/4983-le-manque-deau-au-maroc-inquiete (consulted on 08/18/2020)
Here is the summary of the publication of OpenEdition found on the net "Water in the Souss basin: competition and disorganization of peasant systems":
« The Souss plain is now the leading Moroccan region for the production of citrus fruits (over 40%) and early vegetables (over 60%). It was in the heart of the plain that the pioneer coalition, based on pumping out aquifers, really began after World War II. It then gained momentum downstream of the depression mainly through market gardening. The most recent phase reached the upstream Souss, east of Taroudant. The economic success of this truly mining type of agriculture has a regrettable counterpart with the disappearance of the traditional irrigation systems that used the upper part of the water tables which are now depleted or running out. But beyond the threat of the demise of an old water civilization, it is the sustainability of modern systems that is in question. »*
*https://journals.openedition.org/norois/3178 (consulted on 08/18/2020)
A seguia is an open-air irrigation canal in North Africa. Taking into account the climates of the regions concerned, these rudimentary systems involve significant losses of water by evaporation.*
Extract from the conclusion of the publication "Water in the Souss basin: competition and disorganization of peasant systems" found on the net at OpenEdition:
"So today we are seeing the ruin of old systems, of which there will soon be only the vestiges that will gradually disappear. The strings of khettara(s) wells will quickly fade, as will the seguia(s) and accumulation basins. An old water civilization is disappearing, killed by an intensive and capitalist commercial agriculture which engages in a true mining economy by withdrawing each year from the subsoil some 650 hm3 of water, that is to say much more than the annual inputs of about 350 hm3 (Baroud, El Arabi, 2005). […] »**
*https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seguia
**https://journals.openedition.org/norois/3178 (consulted on 08/18/2020)
A seguia is an open-air irrigation canal in North Africa. Taking into account the climates of the regions concerned, these rudimentary systems involve significant losses of water by evaporation.*
Extract from the publication "Water in the Souss basin: competition and disorganization of peasant systems" found on the net at OpenEdition:
« […] the cultural content has been modified by citrus or market garden “contagion”. This remote seguia, which fed generations of peasants and supplied the souk(s), clearly used flood water from the Souss or its tributaries but could also count on a more regular supply of constructed aqueducts, often collective, which took water from aquifers buried in the different levels of terraces or in the alluvium of the bed itself. The most spectacular -and most efficient- of these devices are the collection -or drainage- galleries dug in the mass of alluvium over lengths that can exceed several kilometers. […]
These galleries eventually emerge to be extended by a channel which distributes the water by gravity throughout the land. A community work, the catchment canal, which is called khettara throughout southern Morocco, imposes an indisputable cohesion on the human group that lives from it: cohesion necessary for the digging and maintenance of the device, but also cohesion for the management of water whose distribution obeys strict rules (Humbert, 2006). »**
*https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seguia (consulted on 08/18/2020)
**https://journals.openedition.org/norois/3178#tocto1n3 (consulted on 08/20/2020)
In times of water stress finding food for livestock becomes difficult. Related to this theme, we read this on the net in an article published in 2020 in LeBrief:
« […] Another impact of the water shortage is that small farmers in distress are forced to dump their livestock for crumbs. According to Médias 24, a bale of straw (which allows a goat to live for 10 days) sells for at least 25 dirhams, against a normal price of 7 to 12 dirhams. According to the same source, the fall in livestock prices is palpable, a "beldi" goat which sells for 600 dirhams can no longer find a buyer for more than 250 DH. And for what result? An even higher price for meat. […] »*
*https://www.lebrief.ma/4983-le-manque-deau-au-maroc-inquiete (consulted on 08/18/2020)
- Water tank in Belfaa. Morocco - December 2016.
In Agriculture du Maghreb concerning the damage caused by the whitefly we read that: « In Morocco, significant losses were recorded of tomatoes in the field and in greenhouses, and the decrease in production was as much as 50% in certain regions during the 1999-2000 campaign. […] When the fly population is large, leaf sucking insect disrupts the physiological activities of the plant which results in reduced growth and sometimes leaf drop."
*http://www.agri-mag.com/2017/06/maraichage-tomate-mouche-blanche/ (consulted on 08/22/2020)
The Youssef Ben Tachfin dam is a dam on the Wadi Massa, in the province of Tiznit, in Morocco. Inaugurated in 1972, its purpose is to irrigate the Chtouka plain.*
From an article titled "Agriculture. The countryside wasted?" published in LesÉco in 2020:
« […] The drying up of dams affects the Souss
On this last point, the most affected agricultural region is Souss-Massa, which is responsible for more than 84% and 65% of exports of early vegetables and citrus fruits at the national level. "Faced with the drop in the filling rate of dams linked to the supply of irrigation water to farmers, the average borehole used for groundwater pumping is currently 300 m deep, compared to 40 m previously. The cost of pumping in relation to the depth is very expensive compared to the low profitability of the crops currently planted," warns Houcine Aderdour, president of the Moroccan Interprofessional Federation for the Production and Export of Fruits and Vegetables (FIFEL).
Currently, the filling rate is 24.26% (01/17/2020) in the dams of the Souss-Massa region against 41.98% during the same period of the year 2019. Nevertheless, it is the dam Youssef Ben Tachfin (wadi Massa) which irrigates the plain of Chtouka (the most important agricultural zone of the kingdom) which represents the most chronic deficit of up to 13.85%. The overall rate of progress within the shared seawater desalination unit intended for agricultural irrigation and drinking water in the province of Chtouka Aït Baha is estimated at more than 49% according to the Regional Office for Agricultural Development (ORMVA) Souss-Massa. Farmers will be able to benefit from desalinated water for agricultural irrigation as early as March 2021, but this supply will only concern 40% of a water distribution network spread over a total area of 462 km. […] »**
*https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barrage_Youssef_Ibn_Tachfin
**https://leseco.ma/agriculture-la-campagne-gachee/ (consulted on 08/18/2020)
(1) « […] Ammonitrate is made from a solution of ammonium nitrate, with the addition of a neutral product (chalk, dolomite, kieselguhr, etc.). It comes in the form of solid granules. It can be delivered either in bags of 50 or 500 kg, or in bulk. […] »*
*https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ammonitrate (consulted on 08/18/2020)
- Refrigerated trucks in Tin Mansour, in front of the Azura company not far from Belfaa, which exports « its production to the main brands of European distribution ».
Presentation of the group on their website:
« Azura is a Moroccan-French family group specializing in the fruit and vegetable sector, chaired by Mohamed Tazi. In 25 years, the Azura group has become one of the largest private tomato producers in the world with 8,000 employees, 68 farms and nearly 900 hectares of crops. Today, Azura markets its production directly to the main brands of European distribution.
The group's strategy is based on respect for the environment, commitment to a social approach, food safety and the integration of trades: production, packaging, logistics and marketing. Azura is demanding about product quality and production conditions, it is committed to continuous quality improvement for the satisfaction of customers and the final consumer. »*
*https://www.azura-group.com/ (consulted on 08/18 /2020)
We found this on the net in an article by ritimo (Network of information and documentation for solidarity and sustainable development) entitled "In Morocco, the destruction of local and subsistence agriculture by a model turned towards the export ":
« [...] Capitalist agriculture encouraged by the State
In Morocco, subsidies to the agricultural sector date back to the law on agricultural investments of 1969. These aids which were developed by the State and are now independent, prepared the ground for the rise of a class of agro-capitalists integrated into the world market. The State has supported the agricultural sector by providing agricultural equipment; adopting measures to protect and improve the productivity of land, crops and livestock; by supporting research and development in the agricultural sector; launching education programs in agricultural practices; and regulating the market, land tenure and the issuance of title deeds.
Since the implementation of the SAPs (1), the aid provided by the Moroccan state to the private agro-capitalist class has increased considerably. Thus, since the creation of the Agricultural Development Fund in 1986, the management of which was entrusted to Crédit Agricole, a Moroccan banking group with public capital, State subsidies to agriculture have fully benefited the largest agricultural producers and exporters.
The Green Morocco Plan has strengthened the support provided by the State to the powerful agricultural export sector. Under the country’s latest agricultural strategy, which dates back to 2008, state subsidies are mainly allocated to agribusiness, to the detriment of small and medium-sized farmers. […] »*
(1) PAS: Structural Adjustment Programs
*https://www.ritimo.org/Au-Maroc-la-destruction-de-l-agriculture-locale-et-de-subsistance-par-un-modele (consulted on 08/18/2020)
- Garbage fires in Akhfenir. Morocco - December 2016.
We found this on the topic:
« […] In fact, the responsibility for waste management, which is a very recent activity in the North African kingdom, falls on local authorities. This is the case, for example, with the management of household waste, which falls under the competence of local authorities which are called upon to establish controlled landfills which have become the new standard since 2002.
Controlled landfills are still a skill that is foreign to a number of other municipalities, which has negative impacts on public health and the environment.
As a result, and in the face of a rapidly changing landscape, waste management is of heart-breaking urgency. In the four corners of the Kingdom landfills are on the rise and becoming major sources of pollution. […] »*
*https://ma.boell.org/fr/2018/12/26/gestion-des-dechets-le-maroc-vers-une-success-story (accessed 08/18/2020)
On the mound is written "God, the Fatherland, the King"
On the subject, we read among other things this at L'Usine Nouvelle:
« Very recently, the "Phosphates 2018" event was held in Marrakech, the most important world conference devoted to this sedimentary rock used for the manufacture of fertilizers. Five hundred producers and buyers were able to congratulate themselves on the strong growth of the world phosphate fertilizer market. At an annual increase of 5%, boosted by the low availability of arable land and the increase in demand for meat products, it should indeed reach 78 billion dollars in 2025 (against 51.6 billion in 2016).
If the event took place in Marrakech, it is because with 13% of world production, Morocco is the second producer of rock phosphate after China (44%). The production is controlled by the powerful Office chérifien des phosphates (OCP). And the Cherifian kingdom exports: with 28% of imports from the European Union, it is even our leading supplier, far ahead of Russia (16%). This concentration of supply, the absence of substitutes and the low production of phosphates by EU member countries have also prompted the European Commission to include rock phosphate in its list of 27 so-called "critical" raw materials. […] »*
*https://www.usinenouvelle.com/article/l-europe-accro-aux-phosphates-marocains.N677159 (consulted on 08/18/2020)
I would have liked to document the work of phosphate mining and processing, but everywhere I was told it was impossible.
Here is the continuation of the L'Usine Nouvelle article quoted in the previous image:
« […] Moreover, Morocco's phosphate resources are partly extracted in Western Sahara, a territory as large as half of France and claimed by both Rabat and the Polisario Front. "It is the last colony of Africa!", underlines Gilles Devers, a French lawyer engaged in a legal battle for the recognition of the right to self-determination of Western Sahara. However, in December 2016, the Court of Justice of the European Union was to rule that a fisheries agreement signed between the EU and Morocco did not apply to Western Sahara. "This decision makes all activity in Western Sahara conditional on the consent of the Polisario Front - including the extraction of phosphates," says Gilles Devers.
"The private groups importing phosphates from Western Sahara violate the guiding principles on human rights and companies adopted by the UN and this represents a risk for their image,", says Erik Hagen of the Western Sahara association Resource Watch, which notes that "out of the 15 companies that imported Sahrawi phosphates in 2012, nine remained in 2016. And next year, there will be only three." Even the Canadian Potash Corp could soon turn to other suppliers.
Should this trend encourage European farmers and manufacturers to diversify their supplies? Erik Hagen qualifies: "the phosphate mines of Western Sahara represent a detail in the global economic model of the OCP group," which also extracts the phosphates from the sites of Khouribga and Gantour to the south-east of Casablanca, far from Western Sahara... In 2017, the latter increased its rock sales by 40% and its fertilizer sales by 24% compared to 2016. Europeans should remain dependent, for many years to come, on Moroccan phosphate fertilizers. »*
*https://www.usinenouvelle.com/article/l-europe-accro-aux-phosphates-marocains.N677159 (consulted on 08/18/2020)
« The OCP group (formerly Office chérifien des phosphates), founded on August 7, 1920 in Morocco and transformed in 2008 into a limited liability company (OCP SA), is one of the main exporters of crude phosphate, phosphoric acid and phosphate fertilizers in the world.
The OCP group has nearly 20,000 employees located mainly in Morocco, in four mining sites and two chemical complexes, as well as on other international sites. The group has several subsidiaries inside and outside Morocco. In 2018, its turnover amounted to 55.9 billion Moroccan dirhams. […] »*
*https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groupe_OCP (consulted on 08/18/2020)
- Not far from Khouribga
- The "Wadi" Souss in flood at Izgane (near Agadir). Where a man, I was told on the spot, lost his life the day before trying to cross. Morocco - December 2016.
«Wadi: River of North Africa; temporary watercourse in dry regions (particularly in the Sahara)».*
«Wadi: River of North Africa. Most often intermittent watercourse in dry regions, where the supply is almost entirely by runoff, and generally terminating in a closed depression or disappearing by exhaustion».**
*https://cnrtl.fr/definition/OUED
**https://www.larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais/oued/56870 (consulted on 08/18/2020)
It took a while to talk before the gentleman agreed to my taking some pictures. It seems to me that he was a little embarrassed; but I refrained from telling him (to put him at ease) that in Europe people considered animal traction as "an answer to the current challenges of sustainable development" because I think he would have thought I was making fun of him.
Presentation of the province of Settat on the internet:
« The province of Settat was once part of the large territory between Oued BouRegreg and Oum Rbia and called Tamesna or “Flat Earth ”. By choosing to build the Kasbah on the hilly site of Settat, Moulay Ismaïl would trigger the process of urbanization of this site. Indeed, the construction of the Kasbah will bring order and security to travelers and residents and promote human settlements in its surroundings. […] »*
« […] Settat has a semi-arid climate. Its industry consists of cereal growing, arboriculture, fodder, market gardening and legumes practiced on Bour lands and irrigated as well as livestock: - Agricultural land with an area of 423,800 Ha. - Cereals represent 73% of agricultural production. […] »**
*https://www.casainvest.ma/fr/casablanca-settat/provinces/province-settat
**https://www.animaux-online.com/article,lecture,2063_la-traction-animale-un-retour-vers-le-futur.html (consulted on 08/18/2020)
« Agriculture is the region’s primary activity, hence its name, “granary of Morocco”. With 933,000 ha of useful agricultural area (UAA), or 10.7% of the national UAA, it totals 16% of national cereal production. At the regional level, agricultural activity represents 36% of the regional industrial turnover (or 5.5 billion DHS), and 16% of the working population. […] »*
*http://vivasettat.weebly.com/agriculture.html (consulted on 08/18/2020)
« Agriculture is the region’s primary activity, hence its name, “granary of Morocco”. With 933,000 ha of useful agricultural area (UAA), or 10.7% of the national UAA, it totals 16% of national cereal production. At the regional level, agricultural activity represents 36% of the regional industrial turnover (or 5.5 billion DHS), and 16% of the working population. […] »*
* http://vivasettat.weebly.com/agriculture.html (consulted on 08/18/2020)
« Agriculture is the region’s primary activity, hence its name, “granary of Morocco”. With 933,000 ha of useful agricultural area (UAA), or 10.7% of the national UAA, it totals 16% of national cereal production. At the regional level, agricultural activity represents 36% of the regional industrial turnover (or 5.5 billion DHS), and 16% of the working population. […] »*
* http://vivasettat.weebly.com/agriculture.html (consulted on 08/18/2020)
On the internet we found a very interesting article on the subject in Agriculture du Maghreb entitled "Traditional onion conservation in El Hajeb province". Here is the introduction:
« The massive onion production in El Hajeb province prompts market gardeners to conserve excess production (instead of selling them at ridiculous prices) and ensure a steady supply to the market. However, the lack of an adequate infrastructure for storage, forces producers to keep their harvest in traditional silos, causing significant losses. »*
*http://www.agri-mag.com/2017/08/conservation-traditionnelle-de-loignon-dans-la-province-del-hajeb/ (consulted on 08/18/2020)
On the internet we found a very interesting article on the subject in Agriculture du Maghreb entitled "Traditional onion conservation in El Hajeb province".
Here is the introduction: « The massive onion production in El Hajeb province prompts market gardeners to conserve excess production (instead of selling it at ridiculous prices) and ensure a steady supply to the market. However, the lack of an adequate infrastructure for storage, forces producers to keep their harvest in traditional silos, causing significant losses. »*
*http://www.agri-mag.com/2017/08/conservation-traditionnelle-de-loignon-dans-la-province-del-hajeb/ (consulted on 08/18/2020)
- Sale of onions in the Khouribga market. Morocco - November 2016.
- A dry water reservoir near Khouribga, a mining town located in the northwest of the Beni Mellal-Khénifra region. Morocco - November 2016.
« Michlifen is a ski resort near Ifrane in the Middle Atlas located in a crater of volcanic origin at an altitude of 1,800 m. The ski area made up of five tracks extends from 1,800 to 2,000 m in altitude. It is the second winter sports resort after Oukaïmeden in Morocco, it is covered with snow from mid-November to the end of March. The station is surrounded by a cedar grove which extends as far as the Khenifra province. »*
*https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michlifen (consulted on 08/18/2020)
- Not far from Azrou and Michlifen ski resort. Morocco - December 2016.
On the internet we found an article in Sciences et Avenir with the title "Morocco wants to save the maggot monkey an endangered macaque". Here is an excerpt:
« […] The species is now threatened with extinction, according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The reasons are: the overexploitation of forests which reduces its natural habitat, poaching for purposes of illegal export to Europe and the carelessness of tourists who feed this primate at the expense of its health. […] »*
*https://www.sciencesetavenir.fr/nature-environnement/le-maroc-veut-sauver-le-singe-magot-un-macaque-en-danger_112621 (consulted on 08/18/2020)
(1) Jebel Hebri is a volcanic cone culminating at an altitude of 2,092 meters in the basaltic plateau of Azrou in the Middle Atlas, in Morocco, south-east of the city of Azrou. The mountain is best known to Moroccans for its snowy slopes where skiing and tobogganing is possible during winter.*
*https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Djebel_Hebri (consulted on 08/20/2020)
« Michlifen is a ski resort near Ifrane in the Middle Atlas located in a crater of volcanic origin at an altitude of 1,800 m. The ski area made up of five tracks extends from 1,800 to 2,000 m in altitude. It is the second winter sports resort after Oukaïmeden in Morocco, it is covered with snow from mid-November to the end of March. The station is surrounded by a cedar grove which extends as far as the Khenifra province ». *
*https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michlifen (consulted on 08/18/2020)
(1) Jebel Hebri is a volcanic cone culminating at an altitude of 2,092 meters in the basaltic plateau of Azrou in the Middle Atlas, in Morocco, south-east of the city of Azrou. The mountain is best known to Moroccans for its snowy slopes where skiing and tobogganing are possible during the winter.*
*https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Djebel_Hebri (consulted on 08/20/2020)
« Its astonishing site and its prestige as a holy city attract many visitors to Moulay-Idriss. Capping two rocky spurs, Khiber and Tasga form two distinct districts, almost two villages; their houses tightly packed together, separated by a network of alleys, descend in a tangle of small gray and white cubes to a conch in which stands out, with its green-tiled roof, the mausoleum where rests Idriss Ier, the "father of Morocco". »*
*https://voyages.michelin.fr/afrique/maroc/meknes-tafilalet/meknes/moulay-idriss (consulted on 08/18/2020)
« Volubilis is an ancient Berber city, then Romanized, capital of the kingdom of Mauretania, located in the plain of Saiss in Morocco, on the banks of the Wadi Rhoumane, a river in the suburbs of Meknes, not far from the holy city of Moulay Idriss Zerhoun where Idriss I rests, founder of the Idrissides dynasty. »*
*https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Site_archéologique_de_Volubilis (consulted on 08/18/2020)
- Spas
- House of Orpheus:
« We enter this vast residence, formerly of three levels, by two sections of stone walls surmounted by a slab to form a door, to the left of which is engraved the inscription: House of Orpheus. The atrium is on the right, and the main mosaic features Orpheus charming the animals (elephant, horse) with his lyre. This mosaic is unfortunately not complete and part of the circle has been covered with cement. On the left as you enter, a beautiful complete mosaic representing nine dancing dolphins. »*
*https://www.petitfute.com/v57793-volubilis-50382/c1173-visites-points-d-interet/c937-monuments/c1156-monuments-antiques/162137-maison-d-orphee.html (consulted on 18/08/2020)
« Its astonishing site and its prestige as a holy city attract many visitors to Moulay-Idriss. Capping two rocky spurs, Khiber and Tasga form two distinct districts, almost two villages; their houses tightly packed together, separated by a network of alleys, descend in a tangle of small gray and white cubes to a conch in which stands out, with its green-tiled roof, the mausoleum where rests Idriss Ier, the « father of Morocco ». »*
* https://voyages.michelin.fr/afrique/maroc/meknes-tafilalet/meknes/moulay-idriss (consulted on 08/18/2020)
That morning during the visit, we talked about permaculture, about Maurice Chaudière * (poet, philosopher, writer, arborist and sculptor) and his "alternative beekeeping" method. « He is a bee lover and is loved by beekeepers for his approach to the bee way of life. »**
*https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurice_Chaudière
**https://www.babelio.com/auteur/Maurice-Chaudiere/223634 (consulted on 08/18/2020)
We found this on the net about the waste problem in Morocco:
« […] As it is, the responsibility for waste management, which is a very recent activity in the North African kingdom, falls on local authorities. This is the case, for example, of the management of household waste, which falls under the competence of local authorities, which are called upon to establish controlled landfills, which are the new standard since 2002.
Controlled landfills are still a technique not acquired by a number of other municipalities, which has a negative impact on public health and the environment.
As a result, and in the face of a rapidly changing landscape, waste management is of heart-breaking urgency. In the four corners of the Kingdom, landfills are on the rise and become major sources of pollution. […] »*
*https://ma.boell.org/fr/2018/12/26/gestion-des-dechets-le-maroc-vers-une-success-story (consulted on 08/18/2020)
- In a city street a lady sells milk and onions next to a store that makes and sells argan oil among other things. Chefchaouen, Morocco - December 2016.
In an article by Maxisciences entitled "30,000 hectares lost each year in Morocco" we read:
« Each year, some 30,000 hectares of forest disappear in Morocco. A worrying assessment drawn up by the Moroccan Association for Human Rights (AMDH) on the eve of the International Day of Forests celebrated on March 21.
Every year, Morocco is deprived of 30,000 hectares of argan forests, a tree endemic to southwestern Morocco whose oil is used in the cosmetics industry. This destruction is largely of human origin, carried out for the benefit of vast real estate and agricultural projects, without effective reforestation programs being carried out in parallel. […]
Reported by AFP, this assessment indicates that the forest area of Morocco encompasses only 9% when the world average is between 15 and 20%. "Forest fires, the weakness of reforestation projects, the exploitation of wood in industrial activities or for heating accentuate this forest erosion", warns the Moroccan NGO. […] »*
*https://www.maxisciences.com/deforestation/deforestation-30-000-hectares-perdus-chaque-annee-au-maroc_art22943.html (consulted on 08/18/2020)
Here is what we read on the subject in Le Temps:
« Like most hammams in the country, this establishment is heated with wood, and not just a little: one ton per day per unit on average. Compared to the number of baths throughout the kingdom - 6,000 to 12,000 according to the estimate of associations of owners of Moorish baths - the appetite for wood in hammams would represent 45% of the wood consumed in the city. Fuelwood, also used by bakeries and individuals, is even responsible for 76% of deforestation in Morocco, according to some estimates. »*
*https://www.letemps.ch/sciences/hammams-maroc-foret-surchauffe (consulted on 08/18/2020)
Here is what we read on the subject in Le Temps under the title "Des goinfres en bois":
« Symbols of Moroccan savoir-vivre, these public baths are frequented by 95% of the kingdom's population. “I don't have a bathroom at home. I go to the hammam once a week,” says Mohamed Bougalla, 51, who sells cigarettes in front of the hammam. They are also popular with tourists. “When you come back from Morocco, you are asked if you have been to a traditional hammam. If you answer no, people will say "it's a shame" ”, summarizes Youssef Laabid, president of the Association of Traditional Hammam Owners of Marrakech.
«There are too many hammams in town. If we heat them only with forest products, it causes deforestation. And this is the case today», explains Mohammed Ellatifi, former senior official at the High Commission for Water and Forests in Morocco and expert with the FAO. Author of a thesis on forest economics, it is this engineer statistician by training who estimated that fuelwood causes 76% of deforestation in Morocco. Although some of the wood comes from private farms, 53% comes directly from the forest, and the consumption of fuelwood exceeds its capacity for natural regeneration by three times. «The Moroccan forest is disappearing», alarms Mohammed Ellatifi. »*
*https://www.letemps.ch/sciences/hammams-maroc-foret-surchauffe (consulted on 08/18/2020)
In an article by Maxisciences entitled "30,000 hectares lost each year in Morocco" we read:
« Each year, some 30,000 hectares of forest disappear in Morocco. A worrying assessment drawn up by the Moroccan Association for Human Rights (AMDH) on the eve of the International Day of Forests celebrated on March 21.
Every year, Morocco is deprived of 30,000 hectares of argan forests, a tree endemic to southwestern Morocco whose oil is used in the cosmetics industry. This destruction is largely of human origin, carried out for the benefit of vast real estate and agricultural projects, without effective reforestation programs being carried out in parallel. […]
Reported by AFP, this assessment indicates that the forest area of Morocco encompasses only 9% when the world average is between 15 and 20%. "Forest fires, the weakness of reforestation projects, the exploitation of wood in industrial activities or for heating accentuate this forest erosion", warns the Moroccan NGO. […] »*
*https://www.maxisciences.com/deforestation/deforestation-30-000-hectares-perdus-chaque-annee-au-maroc_art22943.html (consulted on 08/18/2020)
*https://www.aujardin.info/fiches/mcbx-fruits-cactus.php (consulted on 08/18/2020)
On the internet we found this:
« Indian hemp or cannabis is cultivated in the mountainous region of the Rif, in northern Morocco. It is a densely populated region compared to the rest of Morocco. The population density is 124 inhabitants / km2), more than three times the national average (37 inhabitants / km2). The Rif is characterized by abundant and irregular rains, a mountainous relief of the Rif crosses from east to west the five provinces where the cultivation of cannabis is located, namely Tetouan, Al-Hoceima, Chefchaouen, Larache and Taounate. The highest peak of the Rif is 2,456 meters. »*
*https://books.google.fr/books?id=0b11BL5T1i8C (consulted on 08/18/2020)
*https://www.franceinter.fr/emissions/l-esprit-d-initiative/l-esprit-d-initiative-05-septembre-2019 (consulted on 08/18/2020)
*https://www.franceinter.fr/emissions/l-esprit-d-initiative/l-esprit-d-initiative-05-septembre-2019 (consulted on 08/18/2020)
*https://www.franceinter.fr/emissions/l-esprit-d-initiative/l-esprit-d-initiative-05-septembre-2019 (consulted on 08/18/2020)
Read the story here:
https://www.franceinter.fr/emissions/l-prit-d-initiative/l-esprit-d-initiative-05-septembre-2019 (consulted on 08/18/2020)
Read the story here:
https://www.franceinter.fr/emissions/l-prit-d-initiative/l-esprit-d-initiative-05-septembre-2019 (consulted on 08/18/2020)
Read the story here:
https://www.franceinter.fr/emissions/l-prit-d-initiative/l-esprit-d-initiative-05-septembre-2019 (consulted on 08/18/2020)
Read the story here:
https://www.franceinter.fr/emissions/l-prit-d-initiative/l-esprit-d-initiative-05-septembre-2019 (consulted on 08/18/2020)
« The choice of Larache is not accidental. This province is the largest red fruit production area. These crops extend within the Loukkos perimeter over a total area of 4,000 hectares including 2,800 ha of strawberries, 800 ha of blueberries and 400 ha of raspberries.
The total production of red fruits there is around 130,000 tonnes annually, or the equivalent of 4/5 of national production, according to figures from the regional agriculture delegation. […] »*
*https://www.leconomiste.com/article/1009165-agriculture-larache-capitale-des-fruits-rouges (consulted on 08/18/2020)
« The introduction of very productive early varieties continues to increase in Andalusia as pointed out by the Prices and Markets Observatory of the Council of Andalusia according to the results of the 2014-2015 campaign for red fruits. In terms of varieties for growing strawberries, Fortuna and Sabrina represent the most cultivated varieties, with 26.8% and 16.99% respectively, the areas occupied by the new varieties have also increased, some of them are still at the experimental stage. […] »*
*http://files.eacce.org.ma/pj/%5B1445506345%5DFORTUNA.pdf (consulted on 08/18/2020)
« This sector is experiencing sustained development despite its recent introduction in northern Morocco. This development is due to the combination of several factors: the climatic conditions favorable to the development of small red fruits, the availability of water resources, the existence of a significant development and export infrastructure, the availability of a skilled workforce, but above all the proximity of outlets including the European markets.
In fact, red fruits are showing strong export dynamism. The exported volume represents 75% of the total production of strawberries, 90% of raspberries and 95% of blueberries. The production is exported to 30 countries including those of the European Union and the Gulf, Australia, North America, etc. The turnover achieved reached 1.5 billion DH, with the achievement of 4 million days of work. »*
*https://www.leconomiste.com/article/1009165-agriculture-larache-capitale-des-fruits-rouges (consulted on 08/18/2020)
In a video from French television "Consumption: behind the scenes of the production of Moroccan strawberries" at a strawberry producer (manager of the Compagnie Frelite*) we learn in particular that:
« […] On his farm, the pickers are exclusively teenagers, paid six euros per day. Strawberry picking takes place here from November to July and no producer denies the use of pesticides. The fruits are packaged in units in the region. Almost 150,000 tonnes of strawberries are thus hulled, soaked in chlorine and then refrigerated to facilitate their transport. After England, France is Morocco's second partner. »**
*https://www.dnb.com/business-directory/company-profiles.frelite.fc2051d42edebd493dc86bab84edd995.html#credit-reports
**https://www.francetvinfo.fr/monde/afrique/consommation-dans-les-coulisses-de-la-production-des-fraises-marocaines_1388741.html (consulted on 08/18/2020)
The province of Larache « constitutes the largest production area for red fruits. These crops extend within the Loukkos perimeter over a total area of 4,000 hectares including 2,800 ha of strawberries, 800 ha of blueberries and 400 ha of raspberries. The total production of red fruits there is around 130,000 tonnes annually, or the equivalent of 4/5 of national production, according to figures from the regional agriculture delegation. »*
*https://www.leconomiste.com/article/1009165-agriculture-larache-capitale-des-fruits-rouges (consulted on 08/18/2020)
On the net, at TelQuel we found an article "Better than organic, agroecology" which tells the story. Here's the start:
« Dar Bouazza, about twenty kilometers from Casablanca. Here, potatoes, cabbages, tomatoes, corn and other vegetables grow a bit all over the place. To the uninitiated, the whole can seem a bit chaotic; but in reality, everything is carefully calculated, each foot has its place. About twenty hectares are cultivated there according to the principles of agroecology. The idea is to cultivate using nature and its functioning as factors of production, taking advantage of the ecosystem and biodiversity. […] »*
*https://telquel.ma/2014/07/16/mieux-bio-agroecologie_1409721 (consulted on 08/18/2020)
On the net, at TelQuel we found an article "Better than organic, agroecology" which tells the story. Here is an exerpt :
« […] Today, almost twenty peasants have followed his example in Dar Bouazza, like Bouchaïb Harris. He was a railway worker when he met Pierre Rabhi by chance. He then decided to take over his father's land, until then cultivated in a conventional way in monoculture, to develop agroecology there: We chose agroecology because on the one hand it ensures the autonomy and the economy of the peasants who do not have to spend a lot of money and that on the other hand it preserves our land and the health of our families. […] »*
*https://telquel.ma/2014/07/16/mieux-bio-agroecologie_1409721 (consulted on 08/18/2020)
- Dar Bouazza. Morocco - January 2017.
On the net, in Agora Francophone we found an analytical work on the subject entitled "Morocco - emergency town planning". Here is an excerpt:
« Tamesna, a new town launched in 2006, planned to accommodate more than 200,000 inhabitants. It is, however, in a somewhat "aberrant (1)" situation, according to Max Rousseau, research professor at INAU 3. The construction of this city marks the moment when Morocco opened up to neoliberalism. […] »*
(1) « We get the impression that public and private actors are in the early stages of the project. It does not take more to understand the aversion of the population to settle in Tamesna, a new town, but an empty town. Thus, we are now witnessing a vicious circle: public authorities do not open infrastructure for lack of traffic and Moroccans refuse to settle there for lack of infrastructure. »
*https://www.agora-francophone.org/MAROC-Un-urbanisme-d-urgence (consulted on 08/18/2020)
On the net, in Agora Francophone we found an analytical work on the subject entitled "Morocco - An emergency town planning". Here is an excerpt:
« The primary objective was to empty the slums of Rabat into a new city, but also to open up to foreign investors. These two things go hand in hand: King Mohammed VI, young and modernizer, refuses to endorse slums any more and what better way to displace these populations than to open up state agricultural land to investment to make it a city? Tamesna is the perfect example of a showcase operation to attract investors: modern Morocco is done with its underdeveloped image and is opening up to foreign investors. […] »*
*https://www.agora-francophone.org/MAROC-Un-urbanisme-d-urgence (consulted on 08/18/2020)
On the net, in Agora Francophone we found an analytical work on the subject entitled "Morocco - An emergency town planning". Here is the introduction:
« For the past fifteen years, Morocco has become an emerging economy with stable growth approaching 4% per year. This economic dynamism relies on foreign investors attracted by the institutional stability of the country: an exception in North Africa. These investors mainly turn to the real estate market which is booming due to the country's marked urbanization. The urbanization rate has indeed gone from 55.1% in 2005 to 60.3% in 2014. The cause is natural increase, rural exodus and the creation of new urban centers. […] »*
*https://www.agora-francophone.org/MAROC-Un-urbanisme-d-urgence (consulted on 08/18/2020)
On the net, in Agora Francophone we found an analytical work on the subject entitled "Morocco - An emergency town planning". Here is the introduction:
« […] These strong urbanization dynamics concentrate the population on the coast and more specifically in the cities of Rabat and Casablanca, which alone represent two thirds of the Moroccan urban population. This significant urbanization confirms structural changes within the country, heralded in particular by a sharp drop in the fertility rate since the 1960s (from 7.2% to 2.2%).
The economy based on agriculture is slowly moving towards an economy of services and industry (20 to 30% more jobs in industry over the last twenty years) accompanied by the realization, in Rabat, of a business district, the Hay Riyadh District. This project, publicized under the name "new city", expresses a desire for modernization on the part of the Moroccan authorities. »*
*https://www.agora-francophone.org/MAROC-Un-urbanisme-d-urgence (consulted on 08/18/2020)
On the net, in Agora Francophone we found an analytical work on the subject entitled "Morocco - An emergency town planning". Here is the conclusion:
« [...] Morocco has to face an increase in urbanization within its large cities, already congested, which leads to the proliferation of slums in the periphery with significant sizes. Morocco therefore decides to react quickly and effectively to a significant demand for social housing by launching the construction of many new towns within the country. However, the absence of a real legal and institutional framework did not allow to face the challenges that their achievements could meet. […] »*
*https://www.agora-francophone.org/MAROC-Un-urbanisme-d-urgence (consulted on 08/18/2020)
On the net, in Agora Francophone we found an analytical work on the subject entitled "Morocco - An emergency town planning". Here is the conclusion:
« […] The construction of new towns poses many challenges. However, the Moroccan authorities have focused on the issue of housing and have not or very little taken into account, for example, issues related to employment and transport. Thus, the rehousing of a population by the construction of new towns must go beyond the policy of the showcase operation to identify the many challenges to be met. »*
*https://www.agora-francophone.org/MAROC-Un-urbanisme-d-urgence (consulted on 08/18/2020)
*http://www.cementeriojudiotetuan.org/Doc/Cimtet.PDF (consulted on 08/18/2020)
On the net, at Le360 we found an article entitled "Tetouan: the last square of the Tannerie" and a video on the subject. The article begins as follows:
« Historical and cultural heritage, the medina of Tetouan, classified as a World Heritage Site by Unesco in 1997, is today on the verge of losing one of its last gems: the tannery, which is more than five centuries old, and, consequently, to lose the centuries-old leather craft industry, in danger. […] in Tetouan, leather is tanned as in Andalusia in the Middle Ages.
Conversely to the atmosphere of the medina, full of life, the contrast offered by the tannery, gloomy, is striking. The place is deserted. The ambiance of this vast space of just over 2,700 square meters is even downright macabre, and not only because of the proximity to the city's cemeteries. Only one tanner works the hides in one of the 380 pits. Weeds have taken over part of them. Even the foul smell that should have escaped the tannery is now absent. A situation that seems incomprehensible, given the tourist and economic appeal of the famous tanneries of Marrakech and Fez. »*
*https://fr.le360.ma/societe/video-tetouan-le-dernier-carre-de-la-tannerie-194369 (consulted on 08/18/2020)
On the net, at Le360 we found an article entitled "Tetouan: the last square of the Tannerie" and a video on the subject. Here is an excerpt from the article:
«Near Dar Edbagh, the consecrated name of the tannery of Tetouan, one immediately arrives at the quarter of leather craftsmen, El Kharrazin (or" the shoemakers "), where only a few craftsmen are still working, while most small stalls have become points of sale, rather than craft workshops.
Asked about the origin of the leather they were working, the artisans replied that the raw material came to them from Fez. An aberration, when, a few steps away, a tannery, in good and due form, is dying. »*
*https://fr.le360.ma/societe/video-tetouan-le-dernier-carre-de-la-tannerie-194369 (consulted on 08/18/2020)
- Small business in Moulay Idriss. Morocco - January 2017.
On the theme of urbanization, we found these figures on the net at L’Usine Nouvelle:
« […] The urbanization rate in Morocco rose from 55.1% in 2004 to 60.3% in 2014. In number, Moroccans living in urban areas are 20.4 million against 13.4 million in rural areas. They were only 16.4 million city dwellers ten years earlier. Natural increase on the one hand, the rural exodus and the creation of new urban centers on the other hand explain this development. […] »*
*https://www.usinenouvelle.com/article/maroc-croissance-urbaine-demographie-regions-quatre-points-a-retenir-du-dernier-recensus.N324782 (consulted on 08/18/2020)
Here is some information found on the net about Marjane:
« Marjane is a Moroccan group in the mass distribution sector.
Founded in 1990, Marjane became the largest generalist distribution company in Morocco from the end of the 1990s […], thus replacing the other Moroccan giant Aswak Assalam. The parent company, Marjane Holding, is divided into three brands: Marjane, Electroplanet and Acima. The head office of the company is located at Sidi Maârouf, Casablanca in Morocco. In 2013, Marjane’s turnover was 13.5 billion dirhams. »*
*https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marjane_Holding (consulted on 08/18/2020)
On the theme of urbanization and the loss of agricultural land, we found these figures on the net, also at L’Usine Nouvelle:
« […] The 7 largest cities of Morocco (Casablanca, Fez, Tangier, Marrakech, Salé, Meknes and Rabat) concentrate nearly a quarter of the kingdom's population, ie 24.9%. “The increase in the urban population notes the HCP (1), is explained, on the one hand, by the natural demographic increase and, on the other hand, by the rural exodus, the creation of new urban centers and the extension of the urban perimeters of towns”. » *
(1) HCP: Haut Commissariat au Plan, body responsible for the production, analysis and publication of official statistics in Morocco.
*https://www.usinenouvelle.com/article/maroc-croissance-urbaine-demographie-regions-quatre-points-a-retenir-du-dernier-recensus.N324782 (consulted on 08/18/2020)
- Advertising for real estate projects around Tangier. Morocco - January 2017.
On the net in LesEco.ma we found an article from 12/20/2018 on the loss of agricultural land in the Middle East and in particular in Morocco. Its title is "Agriculture vs. Urbanization. Farmland in Danger". Here is an excerpt:
« Morocco is losing its most fertile land for agriculture. The supervisory department is lauching the alert and calling for action.
The figure is worrying: Morocco has lost 28,000 hectares of land. «These agricultural areas are of high quality,» said the Ministry of Agriculture during the presentation of the assessment of the ten years of implementation of the Green Morocco Plan (PMV) on December 18. In the positive picture drawn up by the ministry on the cross-cutting aspects of the PMV, this question of loss of arable land was one of the points to be monitored during the implementation of the future agricultural strategy. […]
In April 2014, the Minister published a circular on the subject and launched dedicated vigilance committees in all regions. For the moment, these actions remain limited, especially given the extent of urbanization in high value-added agricultural areas (Loukkos, Gharb, Saiss and Chaouia). […] Finally, the ministry proposes the creation of a national commission for the preservation of agricultural land and the promulgation of a legal framework for the protection of the land. »*
*https://leseco.ma/agriculture-vs-urbanisation-les-terres-agricoles-en-danger/ (consulted on 08/18/2020)
- Advertisement for a new Samsung phone: « It has charisma and personality. New Samsung Galaxy A. Impose your attitude ». Tangier, Morocco - January 2017.
On the net in LesEco.ma we found an article from 12/20/2018 on the loss of agricultural land in the Middle East and in particular in Morocco. Its title is "Agriculture vs. Urbanization. Farmland in Danger". Here is an excerpt:
« The UN report on the State of the World’s Soil Resources by the FAO Intergovernmental Technical Panel on Soils (1) published in 2015 had already sounded the alarm. «Urbanization damages soils,» the researchers concluded. And to add: «The unbridled growth of cities and industries has degraded increasingly vast areas, in particular by contaminating the soils of salts, acidity and heavy metals, by packing them with agricultural machinery and by their permanently losing their permeability under bitumen and concrete ». *
(1) FAO: (Food and Agriculture Organization). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
*https://leseco.ma/agriculture-vs-urbanisation-les-terres-agricoles-en-danger/ (consulted on 08/18/2020)
"Tangier Beach: an opportunity to be seized - Apartment on the waterfront - Closed residences with swimming pools"
« FROM 405,000 DH
Tangier Beach is a small paradise designed in a natural environment. The property complex, on the waterfront, is made up of luxury apartments offering quality finishes and contemporary amenities. The complex has a beach club, swimming pools, green spaces and a range of services and facilities ».*
On the net in LesEco.ma we found an article from 12/20/2018 on the loss of agricultural land in the Middle East and in particular in Morocco. Its title is "Agriculture vs. Urbanization. Farmland in Danger". Here is an excerpt:
« […] "Urbanization harms soils" […] The Director General of FAO (1), José Graziano da Silva, recalls the consequences of this situation: «Other losses of productive soils would seriously compromise food production and food security, would amplify food price volatility, and could push millions of people into hunger and poverty. But the report also illustrates how this loss of soil resources and functions can be avoided».
According to this report, soils in the MENA region (2) are particularly affected and are in a deplorable situation. In terms of erosion as well as appropriation, of contamination, the observed trend is “very bad”. The MENA region presents the most worrying situation among all the regions of the world. »**
(1) FAO: (Food and Agriculture Organization). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
(2) MENA: (Middle East and North Africa). It designates a large region, from Morocco in northwest Africa to Iran in southwest Asia, which generally includes all the countries of the Middle East and North Africa.
*http://coraliaimmobilier.com/appartement-tanger-beach/
**https://leseco.ma/agriculture-vs-urbanisation-les-terres-agricoles-en-danger/ (consulted on 08/18/2020)
Donald Trump, elected during COP 22 as the new president of the USA (and notorious climate-skeptic), will announce in June 2017 the exit from the Paris agreements of the United States.
« […] The United States thus joins the only two other countries not to have signed this agreement. Syria, in the midst of civil war. And Nicaragua, which boycotted it ... in order to protest against the too weak legal obligations of the treaty.
During the presidential campaign, Donald Trump described this agreement, signed by Barack Obama but which did not need to be ratified by the Senate, as “bad”. Above all, the American president had dared in 2012 to assert that “the concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese to make American industry non-competitive”. As a reminder, there is an overwhelming global consensus on the part of the scientific community on the reality of global warming and its largely human origin. […] »*
*https://www.huffingtonpost.fr/2017/05/31/donald-trump-a-decide-de-retirer-les-etats-unis-de-laccord-de-p_a_22119052/ (consulted on 08/18 / 2020)
Donald Trump, elected during COP 22 as the new president of the USA (and notorious climate-skeptic), will announce in June 2017 the exit from the Paris agreements of the United States.
« […] The United States thus joins the only two other countries not to have signed this agreement. Syria, in the midst of civil war. And Nicaragua, which boycotted it ... in order to protest against the too weak legal obligations of the treaty. »*
*https://www.huffingtonpost.fr/2017/05/31/donald-trump-a-decide-de-retirer-les-etats-unis-de-laccord-de-p_a_22119052/ (consulted on 08/18 / 2020)
“Littoralisation is a process combining coastal anthropization and changes in activities, and which has taken on an important and global dimension since the second half of the 20th century.
It consists of:
- a migration of populations towards the coasts, for the fishery resources, or even opening up to globalization, which is easier than within countries;
- the maritimization of the economy, which has accompanied the development of intercontinental maritime transport and major seaports (industrial-port zones). »*
*https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Littoralisation (consulted on 08/18/2020)
- Advertisement for Danone on a truck. Marrakech. Morocco - November 2016.
Note that « […] in mid-April 2018, a protest movement against the high cost of living was launched on Facebook. Anonymous, he urged the boycott of three ubiquitous brands in the kingdom and regularly accused of taking advantage of their dominant position to charge high prices. This includes mineral waters Sidi Ali, belonging to the businesswoman and former patron of Moroccan bosses Miriem Bensalah-Chaqroun, Afriquia service stations, owned by the Minister of Agriculture and great Moroccan fortune Aziz Akhannouch, and milk of Centrale Danone, Moroccan subsidiary of the French group […] ». *
*http://www.slate.fr/story/171975/economie-danone-maroc-boycott-gestion-de-crise-communication (consulted on 08/18/2020)
« Maggi is a Swiss cooking aid company founded by Julius Maggi in 1885 and which has been part of the Swiss Nestlé group since 1947. It is also a trademark under which certain products manufactured by Nestlé are sold, in particular Mousline purées, cube broths, soups, seasonings and condiments. […] »*
« […] The Laughing Cow is currently one of the best-known commercial brands in France: almost 87% of French people know it. But it is also widely recognized around the world where it usually has a local name with the same meaning: (Āl-Baqarah Ād-Dahika) in Arab countries. […] »**
*https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maggi
**https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_vache_qui_rit (consulted on 08/18/2020)
*https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosquée_Hassan-II (consulted on 08/18/2020)
On the Averda company we found this on the net:
« Present in Morocco for over four years now, the Lebanese Averda aims to be up to date with the environmental requirements of the day. As in Casablanca, Rabat, Nador and Berkane, the company specializing in the integrated collection of household waste and environmental solutions, Averda intends to fulfill this public service mission in Morocco as it should. To do this, significant technical and material resources have been implemented.
Thus, 450 machines are mobilized, including skips, multi-skips, ampliroll, public works skips, mechanical sweeper, mechanical washer… 4000 employees are mobilized. And to date, no less than 4 million citizens are served daily, with more than 350 journeys made around the various landfills, and more than 4,000 km of sweeps carried out. In Morocco, the services provided by Averda in these four cities include the collection of household and green waste, street cleaning as well as manual sweeping and picketing, mechanical washing of roads. Also on the menu, awareness of the importance of respecting the environment. […] »*
*https://lnt.ma/collecte-de-dechets-menagers-averda-ce-sont-4-millions-de-citoyens-servis-par-jour/ (consulted on 08/18/2020)
On the situation of street vendors, here is an excerpt from a 2019 PanoraPost.com article with the headline "Government has declared war on street vendors":
« A new social conflict has broken out between the government and street vendors who have launched raids against street sales. […] The informal economy represents almost half of the population of this country. Poverty and high unemployment rates, including among graduates, force many Moroccans to turn to street vendors, their only lifeline. […] »*
*https://panorapost.com/post.php?id=23278 (consulted on 08/18/2020)
On the situation of street vendors, here is an excerpt from a 2019 PanoraPost.com article with the headline "Government has declared war on street vendors":
« […] The stalls denounced on social networks, in particular Facebook, are located anywhere, next to cafeterias, shops, mosques or even schools ... therefore, the Ministry of the Interior is committed to control informal sales and therefore prohibited the uncontrolled use of the public highway.
Instead, the government is proposing to create local markets in other areas, far from the cities. But the Moroccan merchants, say niet because believing that they cannot pay taxes.
“This is an unresolved conflict, traders complain about having to pay taxes, street vendors continue to mobilize against this situation. It is a negligent policy! », Declared Mahfoud el-Majoub, spokesperson for the National Coordination of Street Vendors. […] »*
*https://panorapost.com/post.php?id=23278 (consulted on 08/18/2020)
On the situation of street vendors, here is an excerpt from a 2019 PanoraPost.com article with the headline "Government has declared war on street vendors":
« […] Poverty in Morocco is worsened ... Then, the lack of prospects and mismanagement triggered the outbreak of informal trade», said Aziz Ghali, president of the Moroccan Association for Human Rights ( AMDH). He is worried that social degradation in Morocco is a reason for future popular mobilizations, as was the case of the young fisherman Mohcin Fikri, who ended his life in 2016, which generated unprecedented demonstrations in the Rif region.
Mahfoud el-Majoub shares the same concern: «The government must abandon its policy of reaction against traders and find a solution. The solution is to create new jobs and create new living conditions», he said. »*
*https://panorapost.com/post.php?i=23278 (consulted on 08/18/2020)
« The Rabat-Salé tramway is a dedicated public transport system serving the cities of Salé and Rabat in Morocco. The first two lines of the network (19 km, 30 stations) were opened to the public on May 23, 2011. »*
*https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tramway_de_Rabat-Salé (consulted on 08/18/2020)
Here are excerpts from an article published in April 2018:
« In full industrial acceleration since its opening in 2012, the Renault Tangier plant produces a car every minute, exports to 74 countries from the neighboring port and attracts a swarm of subcontractors to Morocco. […] On this 300 hectare site located about thirty kilometers from the port of Tanger Med, everything has been designed to reduce costs and improve productivity. From the cutting of sheets to the exit of shiny cars, through stamping, sheet metal, painting and assembly, everything is timed. The slightest gesture of the workers is calculated, in the tunnels of white light.
The 1,200 vehicles that leave the factory every day arrive at the foot of the ships in forty minutes by train for export to Europe, the Gulf countries, Africa and, more recently, Cuba. […] »*
*https://www.francetvinfo.fr/monde/afrique/economie-africaine/maroc-l-usine-renault-de-tanger-produit-une-voiture-toutes-les-minutes_3054871.html (consulted on 08/18 / 2020)
Here is the presentation of the port found on the internet:
« The fishing port of Larache is located on the North Atlantic coast of Morocco, 90 km south of Tangier. It is located on the left bank of the Loukous Wadi, about 750 m from its mouth and leads directly to the road network that connects Rabat to Tangier. With 45 ha of median, 20 ha of basin and a linear length of 1138 docks, it is the second fishing port in the region. It plays a very important role in the development of the province's economy and contributes to the development of the national economy.
Historical
In 1912, the German state built a dock on the left bank of the Loukous wadi which served as a commercial port and naval military base. In 1924 this dock was fitted out by building 180 ml of fishing quay at 4.50 m hydro and 240 ml of quay, in sheet pile to meet the needs of the region. Since then, the port of Larache remains one of the most important fishing ports in Morocco. »*
*https://www.anp.org.ma/Espaceprofesionnel/Portlarache/Pages/Presentation.aspx (consulted on 08/18/2020)
Here is the introduction of an official document (Kingdom of Morocco, Ministry of National Education and Vocational Training, Department of Vocational Training) on the "Marine Fisheries Sector in Morocco" dating from 2015:
« [...] The maritime fishing sector constitutes an important component of the economic activity of the Kingdom of Morocco with a contribution of 2.5% of the national GDP. As this sector evolves in a context of scarcity of resources and international competition, its performance and its capacity to adapt are becoming essential factors in its development to position itself even more as a pillar of the country's economic and social development.
This study, carried out within the framework of Canadian-Moroccan cooperation, comes at a time when the sector is benefiting from a "Halieutis" development strategy for 2020 to meet this challenge. As such, the quality of human resources cannot be dissociated from the major challenges facing the sector. The said study, carried out within the framework of Canada-Moroccan cooperation, essentially aims to identify training needs so as to meet the practice requirements of the various trades necessary to support the various strategic projects in the sector. »*
*http://www.reapcmaroc.com/pages/pub/doc/portrait_peche.pdf (consulted on 08/18/2020)
Here is the introduction to an article that appeared in 2015:
« Located 196 km north of Laâyoune and 112 km south of Tan-Tan, the peaceful village of Akhfenir is a real paradise which is a delight for rod-fishing enthusiasts.
Around a hundred professional and amateur fishermen meet daily all along the coastline between Wadi Chibka and Akhfenir, renowned for its rich fish stocks, due to the total absence of fishing boats in the coastal waters of this region, and who are inaccessible to ships due to very strong rocks and waves.
For the former it is a real source of life, while for the latter it is a hobby that requires a lot of sacrifice, and who do not hesitate to take the road to cross hundreds of kilometers to enjoy an open-air adventure in this timeless area with its breathtaking landscapes and natural cliffs. […] »*
*https://aujourdhui.ma/societe/akhfenir-un-paradis-pour-les-pecheurs-a-la-ligne (consulted on 08/18/2020)
During my visit to the park I was amazed by the number of patrols by the authorities and a person I met there told me that the area was a point of departure for Spain.* Morocco - December 2016.
*https://www.infomigrants.net/fr/post/13510/le-sud-du-maroc-nouveau-point-de-depart-des-migrants-marocains-vers-les-canaries (consulted on 18/08 / 2020)
