83 Al awamia 92 Mars 1996

Agriculture in arid and semi-arid regions of : Challengesand Prospects

M. El Mourid and M. Karrout I Centre aridoculture, Inra BP 589

Abstract Arid and semi-arid regions of Morocco lie in the northeast,high plateau and Moulouya valley, the centralwestand in the southwestin the Soussregion. They coverrespectively 27 Va and87 Vo o'i the whole country and arableland. They comprise60 7o of cerealsacreage and produce55 Vaof cerealproduction. More than 50 7o of moroccan population lives in these areas.Nevertheless, these regionsface severewater shortageswith limited and highly erraticrainfall. High risk of drought occufrence over and within years is common. Temperature regimes,shallow erodedsoils and croppingof marginallands aggravate moisture deticits. Farming systemsare complex and heterogeneouscombining crops and livestock. Traditional cultural practices are often inappropriate. The lack of adequateand appropriateinfrastructure to make agriculturalinputs availableand to store excessproduction limits progressof technology.The potential of increasedagricultural production and farm income does exist and it is far from being realized. This situation clearly indicates the importance of agricultural researchand clevelopmentand transferof technologyfor alleviating problemsof arid and semi-arid zones, and achievtng sustainableagriculture that will feed future generations. Key words : Water, cropping sysiems,dryland farming

Résumé L'agriculture dansles régionsarides et semi-aridesdu Maroc : DéfÎs et persectives Les zonesarides et semi-aridesau Maroc couvrentles hautsplateaux et la vallée de la Moulouya au nord-est,les plainesatlantiques centrales et la région du souss au sud-ouest.Elles représentent?l Voet87 Vodela superficie totale du pays et de la surfaceagricole utile respectivement.Les céréalesy occupent6O % de la SAU et contribuent 55 % de la production nationale.Plus de 50 Vode la population marocainevivent dansces régions.Cependant, ces zonesfont face à des déficits hydriques chroniquesdus à des pluviométries faibles et aléatoires.Des sécheresses intra et inter-annuellessont communes.Les régimes de températures,les sols érodés et la culture des terres marginales aggravent les déficits en eau. Les systèmesde productionsont complexeset reposentsur I'intégrationdes cultures et de l'élevage.Les techniquesculturales traditionnelles ne sont plus adaptées. L'insuffisance de l'infrastructurede disribution des intrants et de stockagedes 84 Al awamia 92 - Mars 1996

excès de production constitue un frein au progrès technique. L'écart entre les potentialitéset les rendementsobtenus par les agriculteursest encoreimportant. cette situation souligne I'intérêt que revêt la rechercheagronomique pour le développementde technologiesappropriées et leur transfert pai des voies adéquatesafin de résoudre les problèmesdes zones arides et semi-arides marocaines,et garantir ainsi la pénenité de I'agriculture pour les générations futures.

Mots-clés : Eau, systèmesde production, aridoculture

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Regional setting Arid and semi-aridregions of the world arefound in all continents.Their climates are ofmediterranean,tropics and continentaltypes. Rainfall is eitherconcentrated in winter or in summer with mild, cold or hot temperatureregimes. They are characterizedby a high solar radiation as well as a high evaporativedemand. However eachregion has its specifities.But the constantconstraint is the high variability andrisks encountered by the producersand developersin theseregions. Moroccanarid and semi-aridregions are of mediterraneantype with winter rainfall and mild temperaturesand a long period (5 to 6 months) of dry hot summer (Ionesco1965). They lie in the northeast(high plateauand Moulouya valley) the central-west(, , Marrakech, )and in the southwestin the soussregion. They cover 21 Voand 8OVo of the whole country and arableland respectively-They comprise60 Voof cerealsacreage and produce 55 7o of cereal production. Most of barley and maize are produced in these regions. Livestock is very important. Hence, 56 Vo,45 Vo and 5l Vo of respectivelysheep, cattle and goatsherds are concentratedin the arid and semi-arid regionsof Morocco(El Mourid et Sefriouil99l).

Challenges B iophys ical challenges The arid and semi-aridregions of Morocco face severewater deficits. Average annual rainfàll is limited and highly erratic in amount (200-450) as well as in distribution within the year and from region to region (El Mourid and Watts 1994).These regions are characterizedby a high risk ofdrought occurrenceover years.In the last 50 years,Morocco has experiencedfour cycles or I I years of drought(Lahlou 1986),and the mostdrastic drought ever facedwas from 1980to 1985. During thesefive years ofdrought, averagerainfall deflcits or departure fiom averagerainfall variedfiom 20 to 5l % dependingon the yearsand regions, with extremesof 85 Votn 1982-83and 1983-84cropping seasons(Belkheir er al. 1987).Morocco experiencedan other two- year drought (1991/92, 1992193) -l20 where the lack of rainfall lasted days which was never seenin the country. This latter drought has been well documented(Derkaoti et al. 1992; Benaouda 1994;Bendaoud 1994; Herzenni 1994). Nicholson and Wigley (1984)showed that I ) when droughtsoccur in Morocco,they tend to affect quite wide areas;2)a long period of drought during summer with no rain liom the end of may to october3) an occurrenceof drought during the last part of the growing season (march-april), and an erratic drought at the beginning of the cropping season (novemberto january), where short term seasonallack of moisture is common (El Mourid and Watts 1994). The temperatureregime with high temperatures during cerealgrain-filling (Mekni andEl Mourid 1987),high evaporativedemand and shallow and erodedcalcareous soils (more than 80 Vo)aggravate the lack of soil moisture (El Oumri et al. 1994).Foliar diseases(rusts, septoria,...) and 86 Al awamia 92 - Mats 1996

insects(hessian fly, greenbug, sowfly...) are wide spreadand affect crop yields. with all theseenvironmental characteristics, the crop and livestock productions are very low and highly inegular, and years of marginal crop production are quite çommon. Socio-economic challenges Agriculture is an old tradition in moroccan arid and semi-arid regions. Farming systemsare complex and heterogeneous(Moore et al. 1994).The increasein the human population and changes of nomadic or semi-nomadic systems have resultedin greaterpressure on marginal lands that were reservedessentially to grazing. cereal monoculture is increasing with a tendency to abolish fallow (Benaouda et al. 1993), to cultivate marginal lands and to overgraze natural pastures.Furthermore, land tenure, size of holding, as well as the complex ownership limit the progress of technology. Cropping is combined with livestock production, primarily sheep and goats. The livestock component is well insertedinto the systemand plays an important role as insuranceand bank for the farmer. Dry farming techniquesofgrowing cerealcrops have beendeveloped and practised for centuries.cereals constitutethe main crop and are grown in rotation with fallow, food legumesand maize. Barley dominatesin areasreceiving less than 300 mm (Gibbon 1981). Techniquesfor producing cereal crops consist of waiting for the first rain before planting in order to destroy weeds. Seed is broadcastedand covered by an off-set disk plow (often custom hired), so that seed is distributed at various depths through the soil. Rates of seedingrange from 150 to250 kg ha't for both barley and wheat. Fertilizersare not generally used and most applicationsare inadequatefor the crops' needs.In many casesweeds are left to grow, then hand pulled and fed to livestock. Cultivars used are susceptible to foliar diseases(septoria, rusts, helminthosporium) and pests,essentially hessian fly (Mayetioladestructor Say.). After harvest,straw is stored for winter and stubble is overgrazedby livestock through the dry summer.Some barley is grazedduring early growth. The most used tool for seed bed preparation is the off-set disk plow commonly called "cover crop", and mechanizationthat is well adaptedfor more favorablerainfall areasis frequently inappropriatefor semi-arid dryland conditions, becauseit wastes scarce moisture. This is to say that crop production is a precarious businessin the arid and semi-arid areasand the risk is inherently great. The lack of adequateand appropriateinfrastructure to make seeds,fertilizers, pesticides, farm equipment, spare parts loans available and to store excess production during good years explains the under-investmentin these harsh environments. Nonetheless,many farmers are isolated in their villages and cannot market their production under favorable conditions or have accessto social facilities(schools, Hospitals...). e7 AI swamia 92 Mars 1996

The traditional extensionapproaches have been unsuccessfulin convincing farmers to adopt innovations(El Mourid and Gillard-Byers 1993a 1994b). Farmershave not been involved in decision-makingand farmers organizations (professionalassociations, chambers of agriculture)are just emerging.Literacy rates in the rural areasare still high (more than 7O Vo).Within this context, the agriculturalresearch scientist facing the sameclimatic constraintsas the farmer, is obliged to develop and test technology over a longer period of time than is required in more favorable areas,in order to be assuredthat recommended practiceswill be both productiveand economicallyviable. Prospects The potential of increasing cereal production in these areas does exist and presently it is far from being realized. Yields of 2,000 to 2,500 kg ha-l are possiblein more favorable regions (300 - 400 mm) and up to 1,500 kg ha-l in the areas receiving 200 to 300 mm rainfall per year (Mara/Fao, 1982) by employing only the technology already available. Even though this might be arguedand questionedas Crawford and Purvis (1986) did, there is already a strong indication that the potentialfor improvementin crop productionis real, and that sustainedprogress can be made in identifying and solving problems that limit production ( El Mourid et Sefrioui 1991; PPO aridoculture1994; Sefrioui e/ ol. 1994). In Morocco, since early 80s, after the most severedrought that concernedall Morocco, a political awarenesshas developed.International awarenessabout environment protection (Kergreis 1994) has helped too. Many government actions aimed at alleviating drought effects : Livestock funds, agricultural development funds, integrated development projects (Safi, , Settat), measuresto fight drought effects (1993) and lately the willingness to establish farm risk insurance.All theseprograms aimed at spreadingsocial solidarity and equity among different populationcategories as it is stipulatedin the moroccan constitution. The new strategy of the ministry of agriculture emphasizes environmentalissues and sustainabilityof agriculture. The concentrationof rainfall in the cooler half of the year, during winter, when evaporative demand is low offers advantagesfor improving water use efficiency and inc-easing biomass.Moreover , deep soils (vertisols) can store water that can be usedlater in the season. Farming systemsof arid and semi-aridregions of Morocco have evolved into an integration of crops and livestock. Indeed, farmers have diversified their productiveand income generatingoptions in order to balanceimmediate returns with a long-term viability (Moore et al. 1994). Strategiesof farmers in the mixed farming systems are designed to cope with highly erratic climatic conditions(Boyce et a1.,1991).Animal and plant geneticresources existing in theseenvironments are very important and might be usedin breeding programs. 88 Al awamia 92 - Mars 1.996

Researcharound the world as well as in Morocco has developedexpertise, methodologiesand technologiestargetted to arid and semi-aridzones (Squires and Tow l99l; Ungerand al 1988;Dregne and Willis 1983;El Mourid and Karrou 1994).This interestresulted in betterdiagnosis of problems,setting research as well as developmentpriorities, targetting technology transf'er. In Morocco, strategiesfbr agricultureproduction in arid and semi-aridregions should be founded on the mix productivity, stability and sustainability. The challengeis to have a balancebetween all threequalities. Productivity is usually expressedper unit of area,per person,per unit of energy input or per unit of capital investment.Stability is the reliability or consistencyof farm production. Sustainability is defined as the ability of an agroecosystemto maintain productivity when subjectto a major disturbingforce (salinity,erosion, declining market...).It concernswhether a given level of productivityis mantainedover time (Squires1991). Sumrr,arizes crop and livestockproduction orientations in the arid and semi-arid agroecosystemsof Morocco. Crop production objectivesin these drought-proneregions are to improve, stabilizeand sustainyields throughselection of species,and cultivarsand cultural practicesthat will reduce yield fluctuationsand permit stable production. The emphasisshould be placedon the interrelationshipsof environmentand soil and crop managementfactors on crop productivity,which are limited not only by low and uncertainrainfall, but also by high extreme temperaturesand shallow soils.Privileged means of reducingthese stresses are the applicationof sound agronomic practicesas well as modification of cultivars (Harris et al. 1987). Many interestingreviews on ways to understand,improve, and stabilize crop productionin moisturelimiting environmentsare available(Evans 1987; 1985; Cooper et al. 1987; Harris e/ al. 1987). These reviews pinpoint strategiesfor increasingand stabilizingcrop yield. They mainly involve 1) evaluationof genotypes-environmentinteractions, 2) soil and water conservationthrough appropriatesoil and crop managementsystems; 3) water use and water use efficiency;and finally 4) betterunderstanding of yield processesand determination in relation to phenologicalstages, agronomic practices, and environment.Hence, one can infer that all breedingprograms and improvedagronomic practices should claim the efficient use of the limiting resource,water, by avoiding its waste,by improving the capacity of soil water storageand the choice of crops which are best adaptedto theseconditions, as well as the agrotechnicalpractices that lead toward increasedsoil moistureavailability for crops(El Mourid et Kanou 1994). In otherwords, the task is to devisevery efTcientwater-use cultural practicesand highly efficient crops and cultivars. Using the available water more efficiently may mean f"ewercrop tailures and thereby stabilize yields. 89 Al azuamia92 - Mars 1996

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