The Impact of Agribusiness Development Policies on Water Resources

Governance Challenges and Lessons From Morocco’s Water Crisis

Bibliographic Data

ID21641585
AuthorsMoussa Ait el kadi (0009-0001-3260-8358, Ibn Zohr University, corresponding author), Lhoussaine Bouchaou (0000-0003-4909-5023, Ibn Zohr University), Mohammed El hafyani (0000-0002-0135-5482, Ibn Zohr University), Soumia Gouahi (Ibn Zohr University), Victor Fernández (ISTOM - École supérieure d'agro-développement international), Vı́ctor M Fernández (0000-0002-7488-9370, PE International (Germany)), Brahim Meskour (0009-0003-1698-8949, Ibn Zohr University), Chaima Aglagal (Ibn Zohr University), Mohammed Hssaisoune (0000-0002-9388-3804, Ibn Zohr University)
Year2026
Volume35
Issue1
Pages56-92
Publication date2026-03-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueThe Journal of Environment & Development (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1070-4965 • E-ISSN: 1552-5465
PublisherSAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/10704965251386548
OpenAlexW4415002211
LanguageEN
References cited78

As the water crisis intensifies around the world, environmental and social shocks such as livelihood loss, conflicts, and tragic depletion of water resources arise. While agribusiness development policies aim at improving the economy, it ignores the governance of limited water resources, vulnerable environment, and rural communities. In this study, we investigate socio-economic and environmental effects of hydro-agricultural policies in the Souss basin in Morocco. To this end, climate, land use, and groundwater data as well as field interviews are combined to investigate the problem. The findings indicate that the physical water shortage is worsened by agricultural policies. Furthermore, the ceaseless supply development policy aliments a vicious cycle of supply-demand which depletes resources and spreads vulnerabilities. However, insights from the Souss basin highlight the relevance of local community-based water governance, especially when top-down, technocratic approaches fail

Agribusiness · Agriculture · Corporate governance · Groundwater · Livelihood · Technocracy · Water resources · Water scarcity · Water supply · Water trading · Water Governance and Infrastructure · Water resources management and optimization · Water-Energy-Food Nexus Studies

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