Climate change, vulnerability and adaptation in North Africa with focus on Morocco

Schilling, Janpeter; Freier, Korbinian P.; Hertig, Elke; Scheffran, Jürgen

doi:10.1016/j.agee.2012.04.021

Cited by 417 publications

(292 citation statements)

References 39 publications

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“…This study focuses on Morocco, where available water resources are heavily exploited, and where climate change may negatively affect the country's economy (Schilling et al, 2012). Given the importance of agriculture to rural-based economies and the significant share of irrigation in total water use, technologies aimed at improving its efficiency are actively promoted (Schyns and Hoekstra, 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biophysical and economic water productivity of dual-purpose cattle farming

Sraïri

Benjelloun

Karrou³

et al. 2016

animal

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This study analyzes key factors influencing water productivity in cattle rearing, particularly in contexts characterized by water scarcity. This was done through year-round monitoring of on-farm practices within five smallholder farms located in the Saïss area (northern Morocco). The on-farm monitoring protocol consisted of characterizing: (i) volumes of water used for fodder production and distinguished by source (rainfall, surface irrigation and groundwater), (ii) virtual water contained in off-farm feed resources, (iii) total forage biomass production, (iv) dietary rations fed to lactating cows and their calves and (v) milk output and live weight gain. Findings reveal a mean water footprint of 1.62 ± 0.81 and 8.44 ± 1.09 m 3 /kg of milk and of live weight gain, respectively. Groundwater represented only 13.1% and 2.2% of the total water used to get milk and live weight gain, respectively, while rainfall represented 53.0% and 48.1% of the total water for milk and live weight gain, respectively. The remaining water volumes used came from surface irrigation water (7.4% for milk and 4.0% for live weight gain) and from virtual water (26.5% for milk and 44.7% for live weight gain). The results also revealed a relatively small gross margin per m 3 of water used by the herd, not exceeding an average value of US $ 0.05, when considering both milk and live weight. Given the large variability in farm performances, which affect water productivity in cattle rearing throughout the production process, we highlight the potential for introducing a series of interventions that are aimed at saving water, while concurrently improving efficiency in milk production and live weight gain. These interventions should target the chain of production functions that are implemented throughout the process of water productivity in cattle rearing. Moreover, these interventions are of particular importance given our findings that livestock production depends largely upon rainfall, rather than groundwater, in an area afflicted with sustained droughts, overexploitation of groundwater resources and growing water scarcity.Keywords: cattle, gross margin, live weight gain, milk, water productivity ImplicationsFew research results linking the livestock sector and its water use are available, at a time when a significant increase in animal production is expected to fulfill a rapidly growing demand. This study is based on the assumption that in regions with water scarcity, there is a need to consider improvements in water productivity in cattle farming operations. Our results suggest that more attention should be devoted to the origins of water (rainfall, rather than irrigation water from surface and groundwater, and virtual water in purchased feed) to implement sustainable livestock systems.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biophysical and economic water productivity of dual-purpose cattle farming

Sraïri

Benjelloun

Karrou³

et al. 2016

animal

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“…Environ 1,7 millions de personnes y vivent, soit près de 5 % de la population du pays. Toutefois, ces zones se caractérisent par une vulnérabilité sociale marquée, qui devrait être exacerbée à l'avenir par les effets du changement climatique (Schilling et al, 2012). Ainsi, du fait des revenus limités des activités agricoles de ces régions, et face aux aspirations de mieux-être de leur population, l'émigration est fréquente (de Haas, 2006).…”

Section: Introductionunclassified

Analyse typologique de la diversité et des performances de l’élevage oasien

et al. 2017

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Résumé -L'élevage constitue une composante indissociable des systèmes agraires oasiens. Par ses revenus complémentaires, les restitutions de matière organique aux sols et la fourniture d'une force de travail, il contribue à la sécurité alimentaire et à la résilience de ces systèmes. Toutefois, ces milieux arides ont subi récemment des changements profonds, notamment l'augmentation de la pression sur les ressources en sols et eau du fait de l'accroissement démographique, qui ont impacté l'élevage. En outre, l'aspiration des populations oasiennes à de meilleures rémunérations a amplifié la problématique du travail d'astreinte nécessaire à la conduite des troupeaux. La présente étude vise à actualiser la connaissance des systèmes d'élevage des oasis, à travers une analyse typologique de leur structure, de leur conduite et de leurs performances zootechniques. Pour ce faire, 100 exploitations agricoles de la vallée du fleuve Drâa (Centre-Est du Maroc) ont été étudiées. Des analyses statistiques multidimensionnelles ont permis d'identifier quatre types d'élevages distincts, selon la composition des troupeaux, leur conduite alimentaire et les produits élaborés, définis comme suit : « élevage plurispécifique », « élevage basé sur l'espèce bovine », « élevage avec intensification de la production ovine » et « élevage à finalité pastorale ». Ces quatre types ont ensuite été caractérisés par une analyse plus poussée d'individus représentatifs. Les résultats confirment la diversité des options mises en oeuvre pour assurer la viabilité de l'élevage et des exploitations agricoles qui l'abritent. La variabilité des stratégies des acteurs implique d'adapter les interventions possibles selon chaque type d'élevage. Cela permettrait de juger les effets des politiques publiques qui ont été testées et de canaliser les efforts du développement agricole et d'orienter les mesures d'appui vers la levée des contraintes les plus handicapantes. Mots clés : incertitude climatique / Maroc / oasis / systèmes d'élevage / typologieAbstract -A typological analysis of livestock diversity and performances in the oases. Livestock is a crucial component in the oasis agricultural systems. Given its complementary incomes, the manure for soil fertilization and its draft power, livestock contributes to food security and ensures resilience of these systems. However, oases have recently witnessed significant changes, due to a growing pressure on soil and water resources induced by a rapid demographic expansion. The present study therefore aims at characterizing the different kinds of livestock production systems adopted in the oases, through the establishment of a typology of farms, based on herds' structural parameters as well as their performances. This was achieved in the Drâa River Valley (Center-East of Morocco), where one hundred farms were surveyed. Multivariate statistical analyses have allowed identifying four different types of livestock systems, with regard to herd composition, feed resources used, as well as animal products' outputs. These sys...

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“…Baba et al (2011) demonstrated large-scale immigration of the global population and thereby portrayed political and economic crises, poverty, and starvation caused by the reduction in of agricultural land resources, the intense decline in biodiversity due to the incompatibility of some species to adapt to new climatic conditions, and increased morbidity and mortality as results of climate change. Schilling et al (2012) had shown that the Moroccan economy and poor people were strongly dependent on the agricultural sector, while climate change and droughts probably had the strongest effect on this sector.…”

Section: Review Of the Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

Using Structural Equation Modeling Approach to Investigate Farmers' Perception Consequences of Drought (Case Study: Birjand Township, Iran)

Hosseini¹

2018

Appl. Ecol. Env. Res.

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Abstract. As a natural disaster and inevitable phenomenon, droughts are frequently seen in vast areas of different countries, particularly in areas with hot and dry climates. It has resulted in heavy economic, social, and environmental losses. Undoubtedly, the first step to cope with droughts and their consequences is to have an accurate understanding of droughts and their effects on different aspects by specifying the related strategies and approaches in this regard. Given the importance of this issue, the present study was conducted to investigate how to model farmers' perception of consequences of drought through structural equation modeling in Birjand Township, Iran. All farmer households living in rural areas of Birjand (a city in the Iranian province of Southern Khorasan) composed the statistical population of this study (N=6057). As many as 200 households were chosen for the study by using Bartlett's table. In total, 20 villages were considered as the target districts using stratified random sampling. The results showed that the most important consequences of droughts understood by the farmers are their economic (0.341), environmental (0.261), and social (0.138) consequences. The highest indirect effects on the farmers' perception of consequences of drought in Birjand were: reduced income (0.286), increased bank debts (0.272), reduced purchasing power (0.265), and the wells, aqueducts and springs that have dried (0.224) respectively. In this regard, measures such as supporting the investment and entrepreneurship, granting banking facilities and credits, governmental oversight on water withdrawals from groundwater sources, development of infrastructures and irrigation and water supply networks, reuse of wastewater, identification and promotion of products compatible with saline and unconventional waters, development of support services and social security for rural communities and development and promotion of drought insurance are proposed in order to reduce the consequences of drought.

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Climate change, vulnerability and adaptation in North Africa with focus on Morocco

Cited by 417 publications

References 39 publications

Biophysical and economic water productivity of dual-purpose cattle farming

Biophysical and economic water productivity of dual-purpose cattle farming

Analyse typologique de la diversité et des performances de l’élevage oasien

Using Structural Equation Modeling Approach to Investigate Farmers' Perception Consequences of Drought (Case Study: Birjand Township, Iran)

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