Family farming viability in mountain oases: A case study of M’semrir-Tilmi, Morocco
Abstract
Family farming in the mountain oases is undergoing profound transformations that challenge its long-term sustainability. This study analyzes the economic viability of family farms and the trajectories they follow in response to ongoing territorial changes in the communes of M'semrir and Tilmi. The methodological approach combines a participatory territorial diagnosis with a thematic survey of 75 farmers and herders. Data collected made it possible to reconstruct historical trajectories, establish a farm typology, and assess viability based on two indicators: agricultural income relative to the minimum agricultural wage (SMAG) and the household's capacity to cover its annual needs. Three main types emerge: type 1, agropastoral farms, which maintain relative autonomy but are weakened by rangeland degradation and youth disengagement; type 2, sedentary mixed crop–livestock farms, whose survival depends on pluriactivity and remittances; and type 3, intensive arboriculture farms, which achieve higher profitability but remain vulnerable to water scarcity, climatic shocks, and market volatility. More than half of the households rely on extra-agricultural income, often predominant, highlighting a viability largely conditioned by external revenues and migratory dynamics.
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BibTeX
@article{jaafary2026family,
title = {{Family farming viability in mountain oases: A case study of M’semrir-Tilmi, Morocco}},
author = {Khadija Jaafary and Nassreddine Maatala and Younès Bekkar and Bouchra Kouissi and Julien Burte},
journal = {Cahiers Agricultures},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1051/cagri/2026007},
url = {https://hal.science/hal-05774782v1},
note = {CC BY-NC 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Family farming viability in mountain oases: A case study of M’semrir-Tilmi, Morocco
AU - Khadija Jaafary
AU - Nassreddine Maatala
AU - Younès Bekkar
AU - Bouchra Kouissi
AU - Julien Burte
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/02
JO - Cahiers Agricultures
DO - 10.1051/cagri/2026007
UR - https://hal.science/hal-05774782v1
AB - Family farming in the mountain oases is undergoing profound transformations that challenge its long-term sustainability. This study analyzes the economic viability of family farms and the trajectories they follow in response to ongoing territorial changes in the communes of M'semrir and Tilmi. The methodological approach combines a participatory territorial diagnosis with a thematic survey of 75 farmers and herders. Data collected made it possible to reconstruct historical trajectories, establish a farm typology, and assess viability based on two indicators: agricultural income relative to the minimum agricultural wage (SMAG) and the household's capacity to cover its annual needs. Three main types emerge: type 1, agropastoral farms, which maintain relative autonomy but are weakened by rangeland degradation and youth disengagement; type 2, sedentary mixed crop–livestock farms, whose survival depends on pluriactivity and remittances; and type 3, intensive arboriculture farms, which achieve higher profitability but remain vulnerable to water scarcity, climatic shocks, and market volatility. More than half of the households rely on extra-agricultural income, often predominant, highlighting a viability largely conditioned by external revenues and migratory dynamics.
SN - 1166-7699
SN - 1166-7699
ER -