From December 12th to 19th, 2024, our master’s group experienced an enriching field trip to Morocco, exploring the complexities of resilience and sustainability in the Drâa Valley Region. This journey, based on the PhD research of Dr. Lorenzo Chelleri, director of the master’s program and chair of Urban Resilience Research Network (URNet), offered us a unique perspective on the interplay between drought responses and desertification, challenging us to consider whether resilience can sometimes come at the expense of sustainability.
Day 1: Seminar at Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, Rabat
Our trip began in Rabat, where we attended a seminar on resilience at Mohammed VI Polytechnic University. Dr. Hassan Radoine and Dr. Mohammed Nahiduzzaman shared insights into the resilience of Moroccan settlements and indigenous knowledge in Canada, emphasizing strategies to combat desertification, improve water management, and harness wildfires. The session, organized in collaboration with URNet, provided a foundational understanding of cross-border strategies for urban and territorial sustainability in Morocco, Spain, and Canada.
Group photo of Seminar at Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, Rabat
Day 2: Train to Marrakesh
The next day, we traveled by train from Rabat to Marrakech, a journey that allowed us to observe the diversity of Morocco’s landscapes. Upon arrival, we immersed ourselves in the city’s vibrant culture, reflecting on its blend of traditional and modern influences.
Day 3: Imloul – Innovative Revitalization and Community Empowerment
From Marrakech, we continued to Imloul, where we visited a project planned and executed by Builders Without Borders and BC Architects & Studies to learn about traditional architecture, infrastructure revitalization, and creation of community spaces. Their innovative blend of traditional and modern building techniques demonstrated how architectural practices can foster resilience while preserving cultural heritage. A visit to the Women’s Webbing Foundation offered further insights into empowerment through collective action. Here, female artisans produce and sell handcrafted products, fostering economic independence and resilience within the community.
Site visit at the Women’s Webbing Foundation
Furthermore, we visited a preschool and elementary school that had been revitalized using principles of bioclimatic design and ecologism. The project incorporated local materials and combined traditional building techniques with modern, innovative ones. The integration of green infrastructure and an irrigation system significantly reducing ambient temperatures, creating a more comfortable and eco-friendly environment.
Revitalized preschool and elementary school
Days 4–5: Merzouga – Lessons from the Desert
Merzouga presented a stark contrast of natural beauty and environmental degradation. At Lac Dayet Srij and the Erg Chebbi dunes, we observed extensive pollution, hypothesized to come from tourism and unregulated waste management. After discussing with two locals, Mustapha and Ikhlef, we noticed a deep frustration coming from them towards the issues of pollution and waste management in the region. They noted that the existing waste management in the area is unreliable and clearly can’t cope with the pollution created by tourism. Recycling facilities do not exist. Furthermore, when asking them about water scarcity and accessibility issues, the locals noted that these issues weren’t perceived as critical due to modernisation (electric pumps accessing aquifers). Unregulated water extraction is depleting groundwater levels and one of the unsustainable practices that people in this region are forced to practice due to little to no water coming from the Drâa river.
Dams’ of the Draa River
Peer’s Discussion
We discussed with Lorenzo important issues such as the region’s maladaptation to drought through the construction of the Mansur Al-Dahbi and Tiouine dams. While aimed to collect water for irrigating expanding agricultural areas in the northern part of the river, these dams inadvertently increased water salinity, which makes it almost unusable when untreated, and are pushing people further down the stream of the river basin to adapt in unsustainable ways (accessing the aquifer and extracting huge amounts of groundwater) due to water scarcity in the region, artificially created through the dam construction, which in turn leads to migration pressures to northern parts of the basin of the Drâa. Moreover, there are clear and identifiable trade-offs between infrastructural decisions, water management challenges, and local practices.
The short-term benefits of improved water accessibility for agricultural production, enabled by the construction of the two dams in the upper Drâa basin, are forcing communities in the lower basin to adopt unsustainable practices. This, in turn, accelerates environmental degradation and intensifies desertification in the region. In essence, the interplay between modernization, maladaptation, and local realities showcases how systemic water governance decisions influence community-level practices.
Days 6–7: Amerzgane – Transformative Agricultural Action
In Amerzgane, we visited a High Atlas Foundation project that transforms local farming practices. Post-earthquake and flood, this initiative introduced higher-value crops like olives, almonds, and walnuts, replacing low-income wheat cultivation. Guided by Youssef Mazdou, Program Manager at the High Atlas Foundation, we saw how solar-powered drip irrigation and water retention pools enhance sustainability, while planting high-value crops create economic benefit for the local farmers. These measures not only stabilize soil but also ensure long-term viability amid a dry climate.
Site visit with the High Atlas Foundation
Day 8: Marrakesh Headquarters – Participatory Development with the High Atlas Foundation
Our field trip concluded with a visit to the High Atlas Foundation headquarters in Marrakesh. Lead Empowerment Trainer, Fatima Zahra Laaribi, and President, Yossef Ben-Meir, shared insights into the logistics of the foundation and their participatory methodology, emphasizing the critical role of community engagement in the success of development initiatives. By ensuring that interventions are both needed and accepted by local communities, High Atlas Foundation creates sustainable, impactful change.
Reflections on Resilience and Sustainability
Throughout our field trip, we explored the tension between resilience and sustainability existing in the Drâa-Valley region. While Morocco demonstrates innovative responses to environmental challenges, some measures like dam construction and aquifer reliance highlight the risk of short-term solutions undermining long-term viability. The projects we visited emphasized sustainable and participatory approaches, underlining the importance of community acceptance for sustainable transformation.
This field trip deepened our understanding of resilience as a multifaceted concept. The lessons from Morocco underline the need for context-specific, inclusive strategies that balance immediate needs with future sustainability.
by Christian Ninotta
Student at UIC Barcelona
Urban Resilience for Sustainability Transitions Master’s Programme (2024-2025)