Abstract Book of the 13th International Conference on Opportunities and Challenges in Management, Economics and Accounting
Year: 2025
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Understanding the Saffron Ecosystem in Morocco: An Exploratory Study
Karima El Balbal and Soumia Omari
ABSTRACT:
Saffron is a terroir product that has been cultivated for centuries in the Taliouine region of the Anti-Atlas Mountains in Morocco. As an emblematic product of the Moroccan Anti-Atlas, saffron represents not only a vital source of income for farming families in the Taliouine area but also a strong symbol of identity for the region’s indigenous population. The exceptional quality of Moroccan saffron, marked by its high safranal content, which gives it a powerful aroma, and its vivid red color due to crocin concentration, makes it highly sought-after both nationally and internationally. This reputation has enabled Morocco to position itself among the world’s top five saffron-producing countries. Despite its significant socioeconomic and territorial potential, saffron remains an underexplored subject in management sciences. In light of this observation, we conducted an exploratory study aimed at better understanding the ecosystem of the saffron value chain in Morocco, identifying the key stakeholders involved, highlighting the sector’s strengths, and uncovering its potential weaknesses. To achieve this, our research was structured around two main axes: the first focused on grounding the conceptual framework of the saffron sector in the Moroccan context, and the second presented the findings of our qualitative exploratory study, designed to provide a clearer view of the saffron sector ecosystem in Morocco.
Keywords: Saffron, stakeholders, Taliouine, terroir, value chain