20 Apr Economic valuation of ecosystem services, access to groundwater and collective lands field trip

After the exploratory phase conducted by Imane in the last field trip, this one consists of conducting the actual and full economic survey for the replacement cost approach research in five oases of the Middle Draa Valley. The survey was conducted in Agdz, Ternata, Zagora, Fezouata and Ketaoua. It mainly concerned farmers of the oases. The survey consisted of assessing different costs endured by the farmers to replace sources of agricultural water that no longer satisfy their actual needs.   

During this fieldwork, Luis continued the research about what are the social relations, mechanisms, and processes affecting people’s ability to derive benefits from collective lands and groundwater in collective land outside the Middle Draa Oases. The previous fieldwork was focus on Feija plain. In this fieldwork Luis conducted interviews with farmers working collective lands around other oases of the Middle Draa Valley, such as Mesquita, Ternata, and Fezouata.