Integrating peri-urban small-scale farmers into urban-rural dynamics and regiona

The field research of the Oued el Maleh valley situated in the periphery of Casablanca, Morocco was selected to study the direct relations between urbanization and peri-urban farmers. This agricultural valley counts many small-scale mixed-farming family farms that are in relation with urban dwellers visiting the valley during the weekends. But the rapid urbanization of Casablanca and Mohammedia mean that the valley will probably change in the near future. How to bring closer peri-urban small-scale farmers and urban dwellers to better integrate farmers into the urban planning system? The method used to apprehend urban-rural dynamics within the valley is prospective scenarios for which variables were selected to take into account urban and rural dynamics and public policies aspects of the territorys development. These scenarios enable us to better understand the impacts of urbanization on agriculture and to determine which type of urbanization will lead to which type of urbanized agriculture. The scenarios highlight possible evolutions of peri-urban agriculture and emphasize at the same time the possible urban-rural synergies which could exist according to the type of urbanized agriculture. This makes it easier to integrate the rural aspects into the political and technical aspects of urban planning and to bring about participation of the concerned rural population.