The Role of Cannabis Cultivation in Socio-Spatial Dynamics and the Degradation of Natural Resources in the South-Central Rif: Ikhlalfa Commune as a Case Study

Abstract

Cannabis cultivation is one of the most prominent agricultural activities in the Central Rif region, with its origins dating back to the 11th century. It emerged in the territory of the Taounate Province during the 1990s. The rural commune of Ikhlalfa is considered one of the first areas in the province to adopt this cultivation, due to its geographical proximity to the historical cannabis-producing regions. Several factors contributed to the emergence and expansion of this activity, including socio-economic vulnerability, limited official intervention, the weak performance of the agricultural economy and its inability to meet basic needs, as well as the high profitability and returns of cannabis—particularly after the introduction of hybrid strains (such as Khardala and Tritika). These factors transformed the agricultural landscape and triggered significant socio-economic dynamics, while having a major impact on the environmental landscape.The study reached several findings, notably the expansion of cannabis cultivation at the expense of cereals and legumes, a decline in livestock farming, and severe degradation of local natural resources. Socially, traditional rural customs associated with collective and cooperative work have disintegrated, and conflicts over land and water have intensified.