Traditional Oasis Farming in Morocco’s Atlas Faces Urban-Rural Transformation
Over 87% of surveyed households in Tizi N’Oucheg now rely on at least one family member working outside the oasis, breaking from traditional agricultural self-sufficiency.
A new scientific study examining changes in Morocco’s High Atlas Mountains reveals that traditional agricultural practices and rural livelihoods are undergoing rapid transformation, driven by increasing rural-urban interactions and new economic opportunities in cities.
The research, published in Scientific Reports, focused on the oasis of Tizi N’Oucheg as a case study, analyzing land use changes and agricultural patterns from 1967 to 2022. The study combined surveys, census data, and meteorological information with GIS-based analyses of 625 agricultural fields.
Key findings show a significant decline in cultivated land from 13 hectares to 6.8 hectares over the past 50 years, accompanied by an expansion of modern infrastructure since the 2000s. The researchers found that land management has shifted from labor-intensive multiple cropping and natural fertilization to monocropping of barley primarily for local livestock feeding.
“Our data show a strong negative correlation between the area of cultivated land in the oasis and out-migration numbers over the last 50 years,” the study reports. The research indicates that 87% of surveyed households now have at least one member engaged in seasonal or full-time professions outside the oasis.
The study documented several key changes in farming practices. According to the research, there was a decrease in organic fertilizer use by 30% due to labor scarcity. The researchers also found a significant reduction in crop yields, with barley production declining by 20%, onion by 44%, and potato by 33%.
The study revealed a fundamental shift from subsistence farming, with the oasis’s population increasingly depending on remittances from migrated family members and tourism sector income. The researchers found that improved infrastructure and better connections to urban centers have caused declining reliance on agricultural activities.
The study concludes that the challenging geography of the oasis will lead to what the researchers describe as “the demise of traditional, sustainable agriculture in Morocco’s High Atlas Mountains if policies on agricultural development are not adapted to rural circumstances.”
Population data from the study shows that 65% of Morocco’s population lived in urban areas in 2022, compared to 50% in the 1990s, reflecting the broader trend of urbanization affecting traditional rural communities.
This scientific investigation was conducted by researchers from the University of Kassel’s Organic Plant Production and Agroecosystems Research department, documenting these significant changes in one of Morocco’s traditional oasis systems.
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