article · Frontiers in Agronomy
Olive farming supports rural livelihoods across Morocco, but climate change, water scarcity, and pest pressures increasingly jeopardise production. Because over 60 percent of Moroccan olive orchards rely entirely on rainfall, climatic variability poses a severe threat. Climate-induced disruptions to tree phenology already reduce productivity. Evidence indicates that regulated deficit irrigation offers a practical adaptive solution, lowering water consumption by up to 30 percent without sacrificing yields in both traditional and drip irrigation setups. Nevertheless, excessive water restriction harms fruit quality and tree health over time. Simultaneously, rising temperatures and agricultural intensification are increasing pest pressures, notably from the olive fruit fly, though future pest dynamics remain poorly understood. Overcoming these compound stresses demands integrated farm-level management, combining deficit irrigation, nutrient optimisation, soil conservation, and improved pest control, supported by stronger monitoring systems and decision-support tools.
Olives represent a vital agricultural commodity and economic pillar for rural Moroccan communities. As warming temperatures and droughts worsen, traditional farming practices face declining viability. Synthesising evidence on water management and pest dynamics highlights actionable pathways, such as deficit irrigation, to safeguard food production and farm incomes while conserving dwindling water resources under shifting environmental conditions.
The identified management practices, particularly regulated deficit irrigation protocols and integrated pest control strategies, are applicable to olive growers, agronomists, and irrigation managers. While deficit irrigation methods are applied and tested, the development of targeted decision-support systems and predictive pest monitoring remains at an earlier stage of development, requiring further research and local calibration before widespread commercial deployment across diverse orchard systems.
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Olive ( Olea europaea L.) cultivation is a backbone of Moroccan agriculture and rural livelihoods, yet its sustainability is increasingly threatened by climate change, water scarcity, and intensifying pest infestations. Existing literature on Moroccan olive systems remains fragmented, with no integrated synthesis of abiotic and biotic stress responses under climate change. Using a PRISMA-guided systematic review framework, this study synthesizes evidence on climate change impacts, deficit irrigation, nutrient management, and pest dynamics in Moroccan olive systems. It pays attention to farm-level practices, existing constraints, and emerging opportunities for enhancing resilience under combined abiotic and biotic stresses. More than 60% of Moroccan olive orchards are rainfed, making the sector highly vulnerable to climatic variability. Findings showed that climate-induced disruptions in phenological processes are already affecting productivity. Regulated deficit irrigation emerges as a viable adaptation strategy, capable of reducing water use by up to 30% while maintaining yields under both traditional and drip irrigation systems. However, excessive water deficits can negatively impact fruit quality and long-term tree performance. Concurrently, climate change and agricultural intensification are contributing to the increased prevalence of key pests, particularly the olive fruit fly ( Bactrocera oleae ), with limited understanding of future pest dynamics and associated yield impacts under climate scenarios. Addressing these challenges requires integrated, context-specific adaptation strategies that combine improved irrigation and nutrient management, sustainable pest and disease control, and enhanced soil health practices. Strengthening research, monitoring, and decision-support systems will be critical to improving water and nutrient use efficiency, sustaining productivity, and ensuring the long-term resilience of olive systems in Morocco under changing climatic conditions.
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DOI: 10.3389/fagro.2026.1882660
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