What is it about?

Morocco’s craft sector is much more than a source of traditional products; it is an important part of the country’s economy, culture, and social development. Thousands of artisans, small businesses, and cooperatives across the country produce a wide variety of handmade goods that reflect Morocco’s rich cultural heritage while also generating income and employment for local communities. This chapter examines how Morocco’s craft sector has evolved over the past decade. It explores the characteristics of craft enterprises, individual artisans, and cooperatives, with particular attention to the growing role of women’s cooperatives. The study highlights how these actors contribute to economic activity through job creation, sales, exports, and value-added production. The chapter also investigates the economic importance of the sector. Although handicrafts are often associated with tradition and cultural identity, they also represent a significant source of livelihoods for many households and contribute to national economic development. By examining trends in business activity, employment, exports, and production, the chapter provides a comprehensive picture of the sector’s performance and transformation. A major focus of the study is the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Like many sectors around the world, Moroccan artisans faced severe disruptions caused by lockdowns, reduced tourism, supply-chain interruptions, and declining demand. The chapter discusses how these challenges affected production, sales, and trade, while also examining the support measures introduced by public authorities to help the sector recover. Finally, the chapter reviews government policies, institutional support mechanisms, and development strategies designed to strengthen the handicraft industry. By identifying both opportunities and challenges, the study offers insights into how Morocco can preserve its artisanal heritage while promoting innovation, competitiveness, and sustainable growth. The findings may be useful for policymakers, researchers, development practitioners, and anyone interested in understanding the economic and social role of traditional crafts in Morocco.

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Why is it important?

Morocco’s craft sector is often recognized for its cultural and artistic value, yet its economic contribution is less frequently examined in a comprehensive way. This chapter provides an up-to-date analysis of the sector by bringing together evidence on firms, individual artisans, cooperatives, women’s participation, employment, exports, value creation, and public policies within a single framework. By doing so, it offers a holistic understanding of how the sector has evolved and the role it plays in Morocco’s economic and social development. The chapter is particularly timely because it examines the long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on artisans and craft enterprises. While the pandemic severely disrupted production, trade, and tourism-dependent activities, it also revealed the vulnerabilities and resilience of the sector. Understanding these effects is essential for designing policies that can support recovery and strengthen the sector against future shocks. Another important contribution is the focus on cooperatives, especially women-led cooperatives, which have become increasingly important instruments for income generation, social inclusion, and local development. By documenting their evolution and contribution, the chapter highlights the potential of the craft sector to support inclusive and sustainable growth. The findings can help policymakers, development practitioners, researchers, and sector stakeholders better understand the opportunities and challenges facing Moroccan artisans. They also provide evidence that can inform future strategies aimed at improving competitiveness, promoting exports, preserving cultural heritage, and creating employment. More broadly, the chapter demonstrates how traditional industries can continue to contribute to economic development while adapting to changing market conditions and global challenges.

Perspectives

Working on this chapter was particularly meaningful to me because it allowed me to explore a sector that is often overlooked in economic research despite its significant contribution to employment, cultural preservation, and local development. While discussions on economic growth frequently focus on modern industries and high-technology sectors, Morocco’s craft industry demonstrates that traditional activities can remain powerful drivers of economic and social progress. What I found especially interesting is the sector’s ability to combine heritage and entrepreneurship. Behind every handicraft product lies not only a cultural tradition but also a source of income for artisans, families, and communities. The growing role of cooperatives, particularly women-led cooperatives, illustrates how the sector can promote inclusion, empowerment, and sustainable livelihoods. The COVID-19 pandemic also revealed both the vulnerability and resilience of the craft sector. Examining how artisans and enterprises responded to unprecedented challenges reinforced my belief that supporting small producers and preserving traditional knowledge are important components of sustainable development strategies. I hope this chapter encourages readers to look beyond handicrafts as merely cultural products and to recognize their broader economic and social importance. More importantly, I hope it stimulates discussion among researchers, policymakers, and development practitioners on how traditional sectors can adapt to changing economic conditions while preserving the skills, creativity, and heritage that make them unique. For me, this work serves as a reminder that economic development is not only about growth and productivity, but also about people, communities, and the preservation of cultural identity.

Pr Mariem Liouaeddine
Universite Ibn Tofail Kenitra

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This page is a summary of: The handicraft sector in Morocco, March 2026, Oxford University Press (OUP),
DOI: 10.1093/9780198953739.003.0026.
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