Report: Small Farmers in Morocco Face Climate Challenges and Limited Agricultural Support
A recent report by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation titled “Agriculture Under Pressure: Climate Change and Morocco’s Food Security” paints a precise and concerning picture of the challenges facing the Moroccan agricultural sector amid rapid climate changes, highlighting their economic, social, and environmental impacts on the country’s food security.
The report notes that agriculture is a cornerstone of the national economy and the cultural and social identity of Morocco, contributing between 13% and 14% to the gross domestic product and employing around 40% of the workforce. In rural areas, over 60% of the population relies directly on agriculture for their livelihoods, mostly composed of small farmers who cultivate less than five hectares of land, often rain-fed, making them the most vulnerable to climate fluctuations and water scarcity.
The report emphasizes that small farmers not only comprise the base of food production but also serve as a pillar for social stability and the transfer of traditional agricultural knowledge across generations. Any decline in this sector’s performance has negative repercussions on both the economic and social fabric of the entire country.
The report clarifies that Morocco is experiencing rapid climate changes, with average annual temperatures rising by about two degrees Celsius since the early 20th century, surpassing the global average. Rainfall patterns have become increasingly unpredictable, alternating between devastating floods and prolonged droughts, threatening rain-fed agriculture that covers around 60% of cultivated land.
It cites the example of wheat, a staple food for Moroccans, whose production has seen severe fluctuations, declining from 11.47 million tons in 2015 to 3.35 million tons in 2016, forcing Morocco to increase its grain imports, which consume about 20% of export revenues—more than four times the global average—placing the country at risk of economic and food security challenges.
The report mentions that Morocco launched the “Green Morocco” Plan in 2008 to modernize the agricultural sector and enhance its productivity through two main pillars: first, supporting large farms and irrigation infrastructure; and second, promoting solidarity agriculture for small farmers. Despite achieving partial positive results, such as growth in exports and increased irrigated areas, the benefits have not been evenly distributed. Large export-oriented farms have captured most of the gains, while small farmers continue to struggle with limited access to financing, technical expertise, and markets.
The report also warns that focusing on water-intensive crops like avocados and citrus for export has contributed to the depletion of groundwater resources, particularly in the Souss-Massa region, where studies have shown that the use of wells to meet export demand has become unsustainable and threatens long-term water security.
It explains that small-scale agriculture transcends its economic dimension, forming part of Morocco’s rural identity and cultural heritage, impacting local cuisine, seasonal traditions, and traditional land management knowledge. The decline of this agricultural model weakens social cohesion and threatens the cultural heritage of rural communities.
The report concludes by stating that Morocco stands at a crossroads: either to continue with an unbalanced growth model that exacerbates vulnerability or to adopt a sustainable, equitable, and climate-resilient agricultural model that balances productivity with the protection of small farmers and natural resources. It stresses that the food future of millions of rural households hinges on this choice, calling for a reevaluation of agricultural policies and encouragement of local agricultural innovation while involving rural communities in decision-making to achieve food security and sustainability.
