Transition toward Sustainability in the Moroccan Food System: Drivers, Outcomes, and Challenges

Abstract

Nowadays, food systems are undergoing major transformations to achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, there are a lack of comprehensive reviews on this topic in developing countries. This work highlights food systems’ transition towards sustainability, focusing on Morocco. It was carried out through searching, selecting, evaluating, and synthesizing existing relevant scholarly and gray literature. In Morocco, a meaningful transition towards sustainability is being guided and carried out on several levels, despite numerous challenges, e.g., inability to cope with the detrimental effects of climate change and escalating water scarcity constitute fundamental problems. However, there are conflicting views on the outcomes of food system transformation. Some studies showed that Morocco has increased its agri-food export and reduced poverty to less than 5% of the population over the past decade; the proportion of wasted and malnourished children has declined from 25 to 15% and 4 to 3%, respectively, and the 2023 Global Hunger Index (GHI) showed a score of 9.0. Other studies showed that North Africa has entered a food security crisis; specifically, food inflation has reached unprecedented levels in Morocco. This paper provides valuable insights for policymakers and planners to design evidence-based policies and strategies to boost sustainable development in Morocco.