SWOT analysis of the truffle sector in Morocco: advocacy for the development of a natural resource

Abstract

Recent agricultural and forestry development strategies pay more and more attention to natural and local products. Truffles are a relevant example of such products. They are very diversified and offer significant development potential. The objective of this study is to emphasize the importance of the truffle sector through a SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) to identify the positive points to exploit and the negative points to fight against in order to ensure adequate valuation. The study was based on literature search, interviews with resource managers, field surveys in the producing areas and surveys with the various actors in the sector. The results showed that the sector has a large number of strengths, the most important of which are the diversity of species and the large production areas; the contribution to the income of the collecting populations and the ancestral know-how linked to the collection activity. The weaknesses mainly concern the non-organization and the non-regulation of the sector which make it anarchic. As for the opportunities, we note the strong demand for truffles by export markets and the strong aspiration to develop this sector, reflected in strategies that focus on local products. And finally for the threats, they are mainly the decrease in rainfall and the succession of years of drought linked to climate change. In the light of this SWOT analysis, proposals for promoting the sector are proposed, including the promulgation of a law specific to truffles, the creation of a typical market, orientation towards truffle growing to relieve natural production and the development of scientific research relating to truffles.

Keywords: Truffle sector, Morocco, SWOT analysis, Development prospects, Internal diagnosis, External diagnosis