“You Can't Even Predict the Rain Anymore”

Abstract

In the current study, we depart from migration biographies of first-generation Moroccan migrants living in Belgium to understand how environmental factors interfere in migration decision making and how its importance varies over life stages. Most Moroccan migrants came to Belgium as labor migrants or family “reunifers,” so little research has inquired whether and how environmental changes have played a role in making migration more appealing, at least during certain stages of people's lives. By applying a case study approach to three selected Moroccan migrants’ biographies, we aim to meticulously demonstrate how peoples’ migration aspirations have gradually developed over the life course and cannot be pinned down to either natural, cultural, or socio-economic factors. Rather, they should be understood within the wider changing socio-economic and natural environment while considering the interplay of factors within these environments.

Feminisation of agriculture and the role of environmental changes: ‘It's already a tough job and it's getting tougher due to weather changes’

“…In this paper, we refer to ‘slow‐onset’ to highlight how environmental changes are gradual and cumulative in nature and how they can have a substantial and enduring impact on communities, ecosystems and way of life. To successfully address the implications for societies and create effective adaptation strategies, it is crucial to study and comprehend the dynamics and effects of slow‐onset environmental changes (Ou‐Salah et al, 2022, 2023). In addition, farmers who depend on agriculture for their livelihoods can have a hard time adapting to changing conditions, especially if they do not have access to resources (Gleditsch, 2012; Zickgraf, 2018), such as irrigation systems or new crop types which are better adapted to a changing climate (Glazebrook et al, 2020).…”