The rural social contract in Morocco and Algeria: reshaping through economic liberalisation and new rules and practices

Abstract

Against the background of degrading livelihoods, mounting inequalities and related protests in rural areas of Morocco and Algeria, this article mobilises the concept of the rural social contract to analyze changes in the strategic alliances between central regimes and rural elites. It reveals how economic liberalisation reforms have affected the agricultural sector and changed the way both regimes grant their supporters access to water and land in exchange for loyalty. It also highlights that in order to maintain social peace in a context of increasing difficulties for the farmers, regimes tolerate ruletransgression in the use of water, land, and other production resources which, in turn, threatens the sustainability of current arrangements.

Mountain isolation and the retention of traditional knowledge in the High Atlas of Morocco

“…These are related to topographic compartmentalization, a very fragile environment, and a lack of basic infrastructures. In this respect, the High Atlas still demonstrates many of the poverty and livelihood issues found among mountain communities that experience environmental degradation that is both a cause and a consequence of acute rural poverty (Crawford 2002;Houdret and Amichi 2020;Perry 2020).…”

“…A large body of Berber (Amazigh) literature in Morocco has so far focused on historical, social and political issues, cultural recognition and linguistic identity, colonization, and ethno-political identity (Hoffman 2000;Crawford 2002;Errihani 2006;Maddy-Weitzman 2006;Brett 2013;Jay 2016;Gabsi 2020). Literature has also covered water management, division of irrigation water, land tenure, and desertification (Barrow and Hicham 2000;Klik, Kaitna and Badraoui 2002;Genin and Simenel 2011;Rignall and Kusunose 2018;Houdret and Amichi 2020).…”