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Rethinking the agricultural development model in Morocco in the post COVID-19 era. (Agriculture et syst..mes alimentaires face .. la Covid-19.) [French]
Cahiers Agricultures ; 30(47), 2021.
Article in French | CAB Abstracts | ID: covidwho-1721625
ABSTRACT
The agricultural sector is strategic for the Moroccan economy, still accounting for around 14% of the Gross Domestic Product and employing 40% of the active population. With the emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic, it has been literally shaken up, with growing uncertainties with regard to market opportunities and physical distancing which has amplified work constraints. However, citizens have rapidly acknowledged the importance of agriculture, as it ensured a regular supply of food during the lockdown at relatively affordable prices. The pandemic, which has emerged in a particularly dry year, has provided an opportunity to revise the constraints facing the agricultural sector, particularly water scarcity and limited work remuneration. It has also shown to consumers the significant share of imported staple food. In fact, the food trade balance remains in deficit despite the exports of high value commodities, which are emphasized by the public authorities. Moreover, recent studies have shown that these exports rely on increasing amounts of groundwater uptakes. This has happened despite the significant subsidies awarded to farmers to convert gravity irrigation to drip irrigation systems. On-farm investigations have demonstrated that subsidies mainly resulted in an expansion of the area with cash crops needing significant amounts of water. This situation is the opposite of the goal sought by the agricultural policy, i.e. a higher economic water productivity. It is therefore crucial to recognize that the post Covid-19 agriculture should be different. Indeed, there is a need for a paradigm shift where rain-fed agriculture has to get at the top of the political agenda, with more attention to food sovereignty. This has to encompass wide topics, such as environment preservation, rural development and sustainable food systems, to ensure social inclusiveness, and guarantee better wages that can increase the attractiveness of work within farming activities and reduce rural exodus.
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Full text: Available Collection: Databases of international organizations Database: CAB Abstracts Topics: Long Covid Language: French Journal: Cahiers Agricultures Year: 2021 Document Type: Article

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Full text: Available Collection: Databases of international organizations Database: CAB Abstracts Topics: Long Covid Language: French Journal: Cahiers Agricultures Year: 2021 Document Type: Article