Irrigation Systems for Fruit Tree Agriculture

In her recent essay, “The Labor of Agrodiversity in a Moroccan Oasis”, Karen Rignall examines the recent history of farming in the Mgoun valley in southern Morocco in order to explain how agrodiversity, labor, and tradition interact in current small-scale agrarian systems. Rignall emphasizes lines of thought that highlight the large extent that agricultural biodiversity is protected by small landholder farmers. She argues that certain kinds of agrodiversity may in fact be a new product of recent transformations or rejections of agricultural traditions. She emphasizes that, to a large extent, agrodiversity is protected by these farming households because what may appear as traditional agriculture may in fact be a new method that has emerged in response to the changing commodity markets that in turn transform labor regimes.

Farming practices are not simply a persistence of tradition, but rather an intentional practice in response to changing social, economic, and agroecological conditions. Thus, as the times change, farmers are forced to experiment with the cultivation of a wider variety of plants, promoting agrodiversity. Additionally, Rignall points out that this increased agrodiversity represents a privileged position for certain households that are located in water and land-rich areas.

In her case study that consisted of twelve months of ethnographic research in rural Morocco, agrodiversity was promoted through a reconfiguration of labor regimes, however, many households lacked access to the necessary resources, capital and labor that facilitated this transformation. Many farmers' crop regimes were limited to corn and maize simply because they could not afford the labor required to include crops such as tomatoes and vegetables. This is illustrative not only of the strong barriers that prevent people from escaping poverty, but also how these transformed labor regimes can highlight and enhance the current inequalities that exist in communities. 

The situation in the Mgoun region of Morocco is not unique to just this farming community, but is the reality for millions of Moroccan farmers trying to make a livelihood in rural locations throughout the country. The High Atlas Foundation (HAF) has recognized these intractable barriers the communities are facing and has taken steps to help them overcome these challenges. HAF aims to promote agrodiversity and aid in the transformation of farming communities towards new methods of agriculture through the creation of nurseries and the planting of dozens of varieties of fruit trees and medicinal plants. These plants are native to the region and the demand for these goods on the market makes them both a sustainable and reliable source of income.

Beyond providing supplies, HAF supports the formation of cooperatives that allow community members to work together so that they all may benefit from these new crops and methods of farming. The social, political, and economic spheres are rapidly transforming both within Morocco and around the world, and agriculture will continue to be heavily influenced by it. Through facilitating the process of transforming agricultural traditions for rural farmers, the High Atlas Foundation is both promoting agrodiversity and helping to empower all members of these communities.

The Aziza Date is a rare type of date that contains a lower sugar content than other dates and can be preserved for up to two years before spoiling. Its long shelf life and nutritional value make it a valuable fruit that has the potential to be very beneficial to farmers and the local economies of the Figuig Province of Morocco. These fruits possess many benefits, but they also come with many production problems, making it difficult for them to reach maturity and be sold.

Production Issues

        Aziza datestake about 8 to 10 years to mature, but survivability to that point is estimated to be as low as 10%. The biggest issue surrounding the survivability of young date shoots is a lack of information surrounding the correct Aziza date farming techniques. One source estimates that around only 30 people in the country know how to cultivate this rare fruit. With the proper cultivation techniques, young date shoots require intensive trimming and pruning to allow the healthy leaves to continue growing as any diseased leaves can spread to the rest of the tree. A common disease in young date shoots is Parlatoria date scale, which turns leaves yellow and will kill the shoot if not quickly resolved. This is prevented by pruning, fungicide, and mineral-based oils, which can address the problem of Parlatoria date scale before it becomes a major reason for low survivability.

Date Care

        Date care is also vital in keeping young shoots alive. Most dates are planted through the propagation of other date leaves. Propagation involves taking a part of a mature plant and planting it to grow into a separate mature date tree. With this process, the propagated portion is often not planted immediately, which can lead to the death of profitable date shoots. Young shoot leaves should also be tied to the main stem to protect them from harsh conditions like wind and rain, which is another way to increase survival rates. Lastly, they must be planted at the right time of year -if shoots are planted in their dormant state, they are more likely to dry out before they can begin to grow.

Future Research and Plans

        There is limited information available about this type of date and survivability rates, so more research needs to be done. One plan in Figuig, Morocco proposes to raise Aziza dates in a lab for two years before exposing them to normal environmental conditions. Date-growth in a laboratory setting has shown a 100% survival rate for other types of dates, but this would need to be done with Aziza types to see survivability and the long-term potential of this method. This would cost a significant amount of money, but it would help to modify Aziza date care for maximum community benefits. Additionally, since there is such a limited amount of farmers who know Aziza date techniques, one of the first steps would be further research and documenting their methods to be able to teach other farmers.

Conclusion

        The extensive care, long maturity time, and common production problems make growing the Aziza date far from an easy task, but that does not mean growing them is not feasible. Aziza dates have the potential to be a huge source of income for Morocco, but there needs to be more research first on proper farming practices and lab work on Aziza date survivability.