Tafilalt Oasis

Drivers of Land Use Change in the Tafilalt Oasis, Morocco

Ruth Kasinger (University of Graz) und Oliver Sass (University of Bayreuth)

The Tafilalt Oasis in Morocco is a textbook example of land use change at desert margins and its complex influencing factors between climate change and socio-economic drivers. In a doctoral project, remote sensing, natural science and social science methods were combined to outline an integrative overall picture of the oasis system. 

The land use change of the last 50 years was reconstructed from satellite images. The hydrological situation was recorded with the help of rainfall and irrigation data (dam) and by mapping wells. The socio-economic drivers were investigated through questionnaires and interviews. This involved fruitful collaboration with the local University of Er-Rachidia. The results show a complex overall picture with multiple interactions of the different drivers.