Desertification and Its Control in Morocco - Combating Desertification in Asia, Africa and the Middle East - page 105

Fig. 5.6 A photograph of Atriplex in an alley cropping system with barley as the cereal crop (Photo
B.E. Norton)

7 Conclusions

Morocco faces many challenges as populations rise, the pressure on land increases
and more and more marginal rangeland is converted for cropping (often with
disastrous consequences) and the impact of climate change is more severe.
A number of new farming systems have been developed, better remediation
measures have been devised and the adoption of new ideas is progressing rapidly,
especially for alley cropping.

Acknowledgements A synthesis of this nature necessarily involves drawing upon the plethora of
sources some published in less accessible reports that have been prepared under the auspices of
the government of Morocco, by the UN system and by the donor community including NGOs.
The author is grateful to all those people whose materials formed the fabric of this chapter and the
government of China for the opportunity to attend and participate in the Desert technology training
course in Wu Wei in 2006. Gratitude is expressed for use of the photographs of Dr. B.E. Norton.

References and Further Readings

AGR/DAF (2001) The national action plan for combating desertification report. Ministry of
Agriculture, Rural Development, Water and Forestry, Rabat
Berkat O, Norton BE, Merzouk A (1992) Carte des Ecosystemes Pastoraux du Maroc: In: Strategie
de Developpement des Terres de Parcours au Maroc. Situation Actuelle des Terres de Parcours,
Vol. I Inventaire des Ressources Fourrageres des Parcours. Ministere de l'Agriculture et de la
Reforme Agraire, Direction de l'Elevage, Rabat