Barriers and drivers for the organic farming of date palm in Moroccan oases
El Janati, Mustapha | Lejars, Caroline | Hakimi, Fatiha | El Mezdeghi, Basma | Bouaziz, Ahmed
The potential for date palm organic farming in the oases of Morocco offers a sustainable solution to conventional farming systems and meets growing consumer demand for organic dates. However, transitioning to organic farming presents diverse barriers needing drivers for its emergence. This paper explores the organic date value chain in 10 territorial communities of the Drâa-Tafilalet region, identifying barriers and fostering drivers. Field collective and individual surveys were conducted with certified organic, in-conversion, and conventional date palm farmers. Results showed that Mejhoul is the main date palm cultivar used in monocropped farms and promoted for its high-economical value. For date palm fertilization, farmers apply either compost or both compost and livestock manure. Production is marketed both nationally and internationally. Collectors play a central role in the supply chain, aggregating and purchasing dates from production areas to sell to wholesalers, semi-wholesalers, and retailers or to conditioning and packaging stations for export. A significant challenge is the lack of land ownership titles, limiting economic opportunities and investment potential. Our findings suggest that organic dates offer significant potential for farmers, addressing food security and promoting sustainable rural development in oases.
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