Presentation short abstract

Water exploitation in North-Africa, disproportionately affects marginalized communities. Agroecological and hybrid practices could offer sustainable, equitable alternatives. Decolonial, transdisciplinary approaches highlight pathways for just water ways.

Presentation long abstract

Discourses on water scarcity are increasingly prominent across North Africa. Declining rainfall and the overexploitation of groundwater mostly driven by industrialized agriculture disproportionately affect marginalized communities, yet dominant narratives often attribute scarcity to climate alone, obscuring these social inequities.

Recent social uprisings advocating environmental and social justice underscore the need to examine multiple coexisting food and water systems. Industrialized, export-oriented agriculture - shaped by imperial legacies - drives resource depletion and inequitable water access, while indigenous and agroecological practices persist as forms of resistance, prioritizing ecological stewardship, local autonomy, and sustainable management. Between these poles, hybrid practices sustain livelihoods, feed communities, and maintain ecological functions, yet remain constrained and threatened.

Water-related challenges and responses exist in a continuously transitional state. By foregrounding decolonial, transdisciplinary approaches, these practices reveal pathways for agroecological transitions that integrate water stewardship, equity, and community-centered governance, offering models of resilience and socially just futures.