Plasticulture farming in semi-arid regions under climate change:
Sustainable water resource management and inclusive socio-economic development (Plasticulture)
Plasticulture is a collaborative research project between the University of Copenhagen and GEUS in Denmark and Ibn Zohr University in Morocco. The objective of the research project is to provide new knowledge on pathways to an economic, socially, and environmentally sustainable development of horticulture clusters under conditions of climate change.
The project examines an export-oriented, irrigated horticulture cluster near Agadir in the semi-arid Souss-Massa region, Morocco.
The key question is whether the socio-economic dynamics in the cluster are adaptable to a predicted shortage of water caused by climate change and rapidly increasing use of water for irrigation.
By examining the constellation of actors involved in the horticultural value chains and present water management practices, the project will investigate barriers and potentials for the cluster to adapt to future conditions with limited water resources.
The project is organised in five work packages.
Work Package 1
Project management: Internal and external coordination of research, collaboration and dissemination of results.
Work Package 2
Cluster development and dynamics of horticultural value chains horticultural value chain dynamics: Key actors in the horticulture value chain; governance structures and the role of supermarkets; economic upgrading pathways; activities of regulatory and promotional institutions.
Work Package 3
Social dimensions of plasticulture cluster development: Regulatory aspects of the labor market; labor market structures (the position of migrants, women and youth); social upgrading pathways for agricultural laborers.
Work Package 4
Plasticulture water management practices: Regulatory aspects of water services; producers’ access to water resources, water consumption, crop types; Environmental upgrading pathways via sustainable small-scale irrigation systems.
Work Package 5
Impact of plasticulture activities on groundwater quantity and quality: Groundwater chemical composition (isotopic assessment); integrate groundwater data and irrigation data to assess the potential risks associated with plasticulture farming on water resources and future climate change projections.
The project collaborates with the following partners:
Researchers
| Name | Title | Phone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marianne Nylandsted Larsen | Associate Professor | +4535324167 | |
| Niels Fold | Professor | +4535322561 | |
| Sinne Borby Ørtenblad | Assistant Professor | +4535332064 |
Funded by:
Plasticulture farming in semi-arid regions under climate change has received a four-year funding for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark and managed by Danida Fellowship Centre
Period: 1 April 2025 - 31 March 2028
Contact
Marianne Nylandsted Larsen
Associate Professor
Mail: mnl@ign.ku.dk
Phone: +45 35 32 41 67
In collaboration with
External researchers - GEUS
| Name | Title | Department |
|---|---|---|
| Christopher Vincent Henri | Researcher | Hydrology |
External researchers - Université Ibn Zohr
| Name | Title | Department |
|---|---|---|
| Lhoussaine Bouchaou | Professor | Laboratory of Applied Geology and GeoEnvironment |
| Mohammed Hssaisoune | Associate Professor | Laboratory of Applied Geology and GeoEnvironment |
| Mohamed Kadiri | Professor | Sociology |
| Mohamed Oudada | Professor | Geography |
| Soukayna Loukili | PhD student | Geography |
| Said El Hachemy | PhD student | Laboratory of Computer Systems and Vision |
| Salwa Belaqziz | Professor | Laboratory of Computer Systems and Vision |