Eco-efficiency analysis of vegetable farms in Morocco’s Fes-Meknes region based on water footprints

In light of the urgent need for sustainable water resource management in Morocco, particularly in agriculture which accounts for nearly 85% of the country’s renewable water withdrawals, eco-efficiency serves as a key indicator for assessing farm performance by integrating economic and environmental dimensions. This study assesses the eco-efficiency of onion and potato farms in Morocco’s Fes-Meknes region using a stochastic frontier approach that integrates water footprint indicators. The results show that the water footprints of onion and potato significantly exceed the crops’ water requirements, with irrigation water (blue water) accounting for 74% and 59% of the total, respectively. The grey water footprint associated with potato production is relatively high (31.87%), indicating pollution from excessive fertilizer use, which negatively impacts yields. Average eco-efficiency scores are 0.62 for onion and 0.67 for potato farms, suggesting substantial potential for improvement. These scores imply that output could be increased by 38% for onion and 33% for potato without additional inputs or water waste. Overall, eco-efficiency is negatively influenced by farmers’ age, and positively influenced by education level, access to agricultural training, farm size, and subsidies. The shadow price of irrigation water is estimated at 2.79 MAD/m3 for onion and 9.14 MAD/m3 for potato, revealing a divergence between the marginal economic value of water and actual water pricing. This undervaluation may encourage inefficient allocation and excessive use of water resources, highlighting the need for well-designed pricing policies that reflect water’s true economic value and promote more sustainable usage.