Impressions of drought in Morocco
A very severe drought, early in the growing season, engulfed Morocco this year. This photo essay brings attention to the situation, and calls recognition to the implications of water scarcity for Morocco’s farming communities.
How do Moroccan farmers cope with drought? What happens to their communities, their livelihoods, and their outlook on life — when little rain falls and their production systems fail to thrive? We set out to answer these questions during our last stay in Morocco earlier this year. We had come to forge new collaborations with institutional partners, rather than engaging in field research campaigns. Yet, we were struck when meeting farmers near Settat: They were confronted with a failed grain cropping season— even if their fields were so green.
We moved on towards the High Atlas, visiting people and rural communities we had encountered before: Tifni, Tissilt, Aït Blal, Tabant — and finally, we crossed the Tizi n’Tirghist pass. The situation was similar everywhere, but not the same: We came to witness the drought’s many faces, heard about people’s experiences, enjoyed their hospitality, and asked if they had messages to share. An idea came up: How about sharing people’s stories in a new format — one that’s unusual for us? Rather than transcribing interviews, and analysing in depth, we could present unfiltered accounts. People would tell their own stories; and we would amplify them, together with photographs.
Presented below are the images that we took for this purpose. Matching interviews, a short text on droughts in Morocco, and reflections on our approach have been published as a journal article. Read it here; but not before taking a look at farmers’ images first!
Crop failure and the merits of no-till farming in Tamedroust
The farmers of Tamedroust grow grains for human consumption, as well as fodder. Some of them recently adopted no-till farming techniques, to adapt their farming systems in the context of climate change.
Grain farmers of the Association Sâada de Développement Agricole and the Coopérative Agricole Fath pour la Production Lait et de Forage, Moualine El Oued-Mzama:
Drying trees and the Green Morocco Plan (GMP) in Tifni
The farmers of Tifni and Tissilt live near the city of Demnate, at the foothills of the High Atlas. Their main crops are cereals on rainfed land, and alfalfa — a fodder for their sheep. They also have almond and olive stands, but yield little if it doesn’t rain.
A shepherd, passing through a recently established olive plantation, near Tifni village:
Fatma, a woman on her way to the souk in Demnate, near Tifni village:
Moulay Hafid, a resident of Tissilt village, near Tissilt village:
Amina and Moulay Lhbib, retired farmers, Tissilt village:
Green pastures, yet rising concerns in Aït Blal
Aït Blal is another commune in Azilal Province, lying further into the mountain ranges. Here, farmers have sheep and grow fodder on lush terraces, carved into the steep terrain. Crops near the village are irrigated with channels, but could the water vanish one day?
Halima and her husband, livestock owners, Aït Blal:
Ahmed, a meat vendor in the weekly souk, Aït Blal.
Pesticides, new jobs, and the apple boom in Tabant
Farmers in Tabant experience an apple boom. Once they grew annual crops, including potatoes. Now, there are apple trees almost everywhere, but large walnut trees near local villages remain. The business is profitable — but does it benefit everyone? And how sustainable are the current horticultural practices in the long run?
Mohamed, a farmer hand-spraying pesticide in an apple orchard, near Tabant:
Mohamed, a well-builder and seasonal farm labourer, near Tabant:
Beyond the valley and transhumance, via the Tizi n’Tirghist pass
The Tizi n’Tirghist pass is high and cold. We see snow, and behind lie grazing lands, long managed according to customs of rural communities from afar and nearby. They bring their flocks here, when forages elsewhere are scant. It’s a hard life, no longer embraced by everyone.
Mohamed, a young shepherd, crossing the Tizi n’Tirghist pass:
Journal article
The images in this blogpost are part of the journal article ‘It keeps eating at you, little by little’: A photo essay on drought experiences across Morocco’s agro-pastoral landscapes. The full article, as published in Disaster Prevention and Management, can be read here: https://www.doi.org/10.1108/DPM-06-2022-0134
Authors
Laura Kmoch, Aimad Bou-lahriss, Malte Peter Øhlers, Tobias Plieninger, Emmeline Topp, Mario Torralba
Interested in our ongoing projects?
Social-Ecological Interactions in Agricultural Systems
On the research of our group, read People • Nature • Landscapes
Current research projects in Morocco
On our ongoing projects in Morocco, read:
