The Issue of Land Tenure and Agricultural Development in the Inaouen Basin: Commune of Bouhlou in the Province of Taza (Morocco)

Abstract

Land tenure is one of the key pillars for achieving agricultural development in Morocco, given its role in enhancing productivity, attracting investment, and strengthening food security. However, Bouhlou Commune in the Inaouen Basin faces complex constraints due to the multiplicity and overlap of land tenure systems, including private property, collective lands, habous (endowments), and state-owned lands. This situation is further aggravated by the excessive fragmentation of holdings, weak land registration, and legal ambiguities, which hinder the efficient use of land resources. Additional challenges include fragile infrastructure, recurring droughts and climate variability, as well as real estate speculation and the conversion of significant agricultural areas to non-agricultural uses.

These constraints have contributed to rising land prices and deepening social and spatial inequalities, making them a barrier to any sustainable development or investment initiative. The study highlights that overcoming these challenges requires comprehensive legal and institutional reforms, along with the integrated mobilization of land resources that considers local specificities, aiming to achieve a balance between the needs of the population and the requirements of developing the agricultural sector.