Morocco: Land and Conflict in the Souss-Massa Region

The case study “Morocco: Conflicts between Nomadic Pastoralists and Farmers in the Souss Region” explores how fragile land governance and rapid social transformations in the Souss-Massa region can turn long-standing coexistence into conflict. For centuries, pastoralists and farmers managed shared resources through customary agreements, but these arrangements have gradually collapsed. Today, pressures from climate change, land degradation, and the absence of effective dispute resolution mechanisms have deepened tensions, resulting in recurrent and sometimes violent clashes.

The analysis applies the GLTN tool “How to Do a Root Cause Analysis of Land and Conflict for Peace Building” to identify the root causes of conflict, its proximate factors, and triggers. Findings highlight the urgent need for integrated land governance reforms that balance agricultural development with pastoral mobility, safeguard communal land rights, and promote sustainable resource management.

This case study was documented by the Arab Land Initiative of UN-Habitat and the Global Land Tool Network (GLTN) in partnership with the Arab Group for the Protection of Nature (APN) and with the financial support of the Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany (BMZ). It forms part of a broader effort to analyze land-related conflict dynamics across the Arab region. 

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