Impact of agroforestry on land productivity and production systems resilience in drylands of Morocco

Mohamed ELKOUDRIM; Rachid MOUSSADEK; Othmane EL GHALMI; Maryam CHOUKRI; Othmane KADIRI

Article Details

Impact of agroforestry on land productivity and production systems resilience in drylands of Morocco

Authors:

Mohamed ELKOUDRIM | Rachid MOUSSADEK | Othmane EL GHALMI | Maryam CHOUKRI | Othmane KADIRI

Publisher:

INRA

Journal:

African and Mediterranean Agricultural Journal - Al Awamia Issue 143, pp.169-183

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

4/2024

Document Language:

English

Document ID (Org No.):

2001843591

pISSN:

2658-9184

Abstract:

 The arid climatic context of Morocco and the widespread degradation of natural resources constitute the origin of the decline in agricultural production. The challenges generated by this situation encourage the development of innovative and sustainable technologies to maintain and secure this production. These technologies must be part not only of adaptation and mitigation of climate variations, but also of meeting needs (food, income, well-being), while conserving natural resources. In this context, agroforestry is an agricultural practice to be recommended as it can respond to many current challenges (biodiversity, diversified production, carbon storage). This work aims to characterize the performance of the agroforestry system in the arid climate of western Morocco. To do this, three year comparisons between yields of plant and organic and mineral composition of the soil were made. For each crop, agroforestry systems (AFS) were compared to monoculture systems (MS). The introduction of shrubs and trees into agricultural plots has made it possible to improve the production and quality of fallow land as well as fodder and cereal crops. Indeed, unlike the floristic diversity of the fallow which was not much affected by the presence of trees and shrubs, the density and phytomass of herbaceous plants and intercrops were improved. And it is the group of argan and carob trees which showed the most convincing results. This is due to the creation of optimal conditions for the growth of plant species, especially in terms of soil porosity for argan tree and nitrogen fixation for carob tree and alfalfa shrub. In fact, the use of shrubs in cereal fields, showed very significant differences in density, so the densities of barley (Hordeum vulgare) in January (375 plants/m²) and March (351 plants/m²) in AFS were superior to those of MS (350 plants/m² in January and 308 plants/m² in March). Similarly, biomass and dry matter of faba bean (Vicia faba) associated to argan trees (Argania spinosa) and carob trees (Ceratonia siliqua), and of barley (Hordeum vulgare) associated to Atriplex numularia, were more important in AFS than in MS, despite limiting climatic conditions and possible competition between trees and crops. In addition, the crops in AFS contain more nitrogen and Total Nitrogenous Matter (TNM) in the plant material than MS. On average, the faba bean contains 7.5% of N grown alone, although associated to carob trees it contains 14.1% and 13.1% with argan trees.  Therefore, the plant matter has a better forage quality in AFS. We also found that for the organic matter and total nitrogen in the soil, the difference is significant between the two systems and the soil is richer in organic matter (OM) and total nitrogen in AFS than in MS. In fact, the soil in barley crop for AFS contains 4.77% of OM and 3.82% for MS, as well as the faba bean-carob trees association plot (where the carob trees are more than 10 years old) contains 5.86% of OM vs 2.31% in MS. Thus, the intercropping plant in AFS contains more TNM and better nutritional quality and the soil is richer in OM and total Nitrogen. Agroforestry systems are, therefore, more productive, and efficient and would constitute a solution for sustainable agricultural production in drylands of Morocco.

Article Details

Impact of agroforestry on land productivity and production systems resilience in drylands of Morocco

Authors: Mohamed ELKOUDRIM | Rachid MOUSSADEK | Othmane EL GHALMI | Maryam CHOUKRI | Othmane KADIRI

Publisher: INRA

Journal: African and Mediterranean Agricultural Journal - Al Awamia Issue 143, pp.169-183

Document Type: Article

Publication Date: 4/2024

Document Language: English

Document ID (Org No.): 2001843591

pISSN: 2658-9184

Issues

Authors:

Mohamed ELKOUDRIM | Rachid MOUSSADEK | Othmane EL GHALMI | Maryam CHOUKRI | Othmane KADIRI

Publisher:

INRA

Journal:

African and Mediterranean Agricultural Journal - Al Awamia Issue 143, pp.169-183

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

4/2024

Document Language:

English

Document ID (Org No.):

2001843591

pISSN:

2658-9184