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Frikhat and Van den Broeck, 2026, Trade and nutrition in Morocco.pdf
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Purpose-The impact of international agri-food trade on food security and nutrition remains contested, and evidence on its implications for (micro)nutrient intake is still limited. This article explores how Morocco's agri-food production and trade patterns have shaped the nutritional availability over the past 3 decades. Design/methodology/approach-Using FAO Food Balance Sheets and national food composition tables to estimate domestic supply, production, imports, and exports of 12 food groups and key nutrients (calories, proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamin A, iron and magnesium) from 1991 to 2021. Non-parametric trend tests and a Seemingly Unrelated Regression (SUR) framework, combined with an autoregressive specification, are used to assess structural changes and trade nutrition associations. Nutrient availability is benchmarked against FAO/WHO population-weighted requirements, while food group supply is evaluated relative to EAT-Lancet dietary recommendations. Findings-Morocco largely meets national nutritional requirements, consistent with declines in undernourishment, stunting and anaemia. However, calories and fats now exceed recommended levels. Cereal imports have stabilized food supply but increased exposure to global shocks. Despite high vegetable exports, domestic availability remains below dietary recommendations, suggesting a trade-off between export growth and local nutritional adequacy. Research limitations/implications-The data used reflect national-level supply and do not capture disparities in access across social groups. While nutrient composition values align with national data, the analysis cannot assess intra-household distribution or affordability. Originality/value-The study provides a nutrient-level, country-specific analysis linking trade flows to dietary adequacy in a middle-income context.
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Frikhat, O., & Van den Broeck, G. (2026). A double-edged sword? Trade and nutrition in Morocco. Journal of Agribusiness in Developing and Emerging Economies, 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1108/jadee-12-2025-0594 (Original work published 2026)