| Issue |
E3S Web Conf.
Volume 632, 2025
The 5th Edition of Oriental Days for the Environment “Green Lab. Solution for Sustainable Development” (JOE5)
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Article Number | 01021 | |
| Number of page(s) | 6 | |
| Section | Natural Resources, Earth & Environmental Studies | |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202563201021 | |
| Published online | 03 June 2025 | |
The Impact of Climatic Drought on the Sugar Industry in the Lower Moulouya Basin between 2000 and 2024 (NE Morocco)
1 Laboratory of Dynamics of arid environments, territorial planning and Regional Development, Faculty of Arts and Human Sciences, Mohammed First University, 60000, Oujda, Morocco
2 Sultan Moulay Slimane University of Beni Mellal, Multidisciplinary Res. & Innovation Laboratory / Natural Resource Engineering and Environmental Impacts Team, Polydisciplinary Faculty of Khouribga BP 145, Khouribga, Morocco
3 Laboratory for Improvement of Agricultural Production, Biotechnology and Environment (LAPABE)/Water, Environment and Health Team, Faculty of Science, Mohamed Premier University, PB 717 60000, BV M6, Oujda, Morocco
4 Biotechnology, Environmental Technology and Valorization of Bio-resources team, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Technology Al-Hoceima, Abdelmalek Essaadi Univ., Morocco
5 Center of Urban Systems-CUS, Mohammed VI Polytechnic University - UM6P, Benguerir 43150, Morocco
6 Laboratory of Agro–Physiology, Biotechnologies, Environment and Qualities, Faculty of Sciences, PB 242 14000, Kenitra, Morocco
7 Laboratory of Applied Geosciences, Faculty of Sciences, Univ. of Mohammed 1 st, Oujda, Morocco
* Corresponding authors: bilal.elmonhim@ump.ac.ma
This paper examines the impact of climate-induced drought on sugar crops in the Lower Moulouya region, where four large, irrigated plains are found: Trifa in the Berkane province, and Sabra, Garb, and Bouarg plains in the Nador province. The study focuses on a monitoring period from 2000 to 2024, utilizing statistical analysis of industrial variables in relation to annual rainfall in Zaio, Bouarg, and Al Aaroui. The findings reveal a statistically significant correlation between the reduction in annual rainfall and the decline in sugar beet cultivation on one hand, and a reduction in industrial production indicators at the SUCRAFOR factory in Zaio on the other. To test these results, the NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) was applied to track the values of dense vegetation cover in irrigated plains, indicative of intensive industrial crops. The maximum NDVI values shifted from 0.5 in 2000, to 1 in 2009, then dropped to 0.5 in 2016, and reached 0.6 in 2024. Through analysis of satellite imagery using this index, a reduction in industrial crop areas over time was observed, decreasing from 13,686 hectares in 2000 to 11,341 hectares in 2009, then slightly recovering to 11,515 hectares in 2009, only to reach its lowest level in 2024 at an area of 8,057 hectares.
Key words: climatic drought / precipitation / industrial crops / industrial production / Nador province / Lower Moulouya
© The Authors, published by EDP Sciences, 2025
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
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