Principal Component Analysis of the determinants of resilience among smallholder farmers in the Souss Valley

Abstract

This study uses the RIMA-II framework (FAO, 2016) to analyze the determinants of resilience among smallholder farmers in the Souss Valley, focusing on four key pillars: access to basic services, agricultural and non-agricultural assets, social safety nets, and adaptive capacity. The methodological approach is based on two steps: principal component analysis (PCA) followed by Varimax rotation. PCA helped simplify the data and identify a coherent set of variables influencing resilience. The results reveal that the accessibility of public services has a strong impact on the first pillar, while land and agricultural resources are essential for the second pillar. Participation in community organizations is a key factor for the third pillar, and agricultural resources and practices play a major role in the fourth pillar. This analysis provides an in-depth understanding of the primary determinants of resilience for households in this historically agricultural region of Morocco.

Keywords: PCA, Resilience, RIMA II, Smallholder Farmers, Souss Valley.

JEL Classification : O13

Paper type : Empirical research