REVIEW article
Front. Water
Sec. Water and Climate
This article is part of the Research TopicInnovative Approaches to Quantify Virtual Water and Energy Flows in a Changing ClimateView all articles
Revisiting Agricultural Policies in Morocco through the Lens of Virtual Water Trade: A Literature Review
Provisionally accepted
- 1Université Sultan Moulay Slimane, Béni Mellal, Morocco
- 2Universite Sultan Moulay Slimane, Beni-Mellal, Morocco
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Morocco, a semi-arid country and a recognized climate change hotspot, faces increasing water scarcity, with renewable water resources estimated at 22 billion m³ in 2023. This study presents a critical literature review to examine, first, the effects of Morocco's agricultural policies on water resource availability and sustainability, and second, the economic rationale underlying the virtual water concept. It explores methods for quantifying virtual water and evaluates the potential contribution of virtual water trade to mitigating water stress. Particular attention is given to empirical studies addressing Morocco's water footprint and virtual water flows. The findings reveal a notable disconnect between agricultural development strategies and water policy objectives. Furthermore, existing research on virtual water in Morocco remains limited. Available evidence suggests that Morocco is a net importer of virtual water. The study concludes that integrating the virtual water approach into national agricultural planning and international trade strategies could enhance sustainable water management and support policy coherence in addressing water stress in arid and semi-arid contexts.
Keywords: Virtual water trade, water footprint, Water Resources Management, Agriculture policies, water policy
Received: 02 Oct 2025; Accepted: 20 Nov 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 RIDAOUI, RAZZOUKI, OUDGOU and BOUDHAR. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Mounsif RIDAOUI, mounsifrr7777@gmail.com
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