This study conducts a comparative analysis of two dominant tunnel-based production systems: Macro tunnels and tunnel Nantais. Using a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and an Economic Assessment, the respective environmental sustainability and economic performance of strawberry cultivation in Morocco’s Rabat-Salé-Kénitra and Larache (RSK+L) region is evaluated. The LCA has a cradle-to-gate approach and considers key environmental impacts such as resource use, human toxicity, and land degradation. The economic assessment measures Net Present Value (NPV), Internal Rate of Return (IRR), Return on Investment (ROI), and Payback Period (PP). The study offers region-specific insights to inform sustainable transition strategies for Moroccan policymakers, farmers, and industry actors.
Findings reveal a clear trade-off between environmental impact and profitability. The Macro tunnel system generates higher absolute profits due to superior access to the high-value fresh export market, but has higher environmental impacts. In contrast, the tunnel Nantais system demonstrates lower material requirements and reduced environmental impacts, while remaining financially viable due to lower initial investment costs. Sensitivity analysis identifies yield and fresh market access as the primary drivers of economic success in both systems. The results also show a social trade-off: high investment barriers can exclude farmers from accessing the more profitable Macro system, highlighting the structural inequality in the region’s strawberry cultivation sector.
Improving on-farm efficiency, particularly in irrigation, fertiliser, and pesticide use, is essential to reduce material waste and land depletion. Policymakers should also address structural inequalities that limit farmers from accessing high-value markets associated with Macro tunnel system strawberry cultivation. Last, operational cost structures should be disaggregated, and real-world data on yield performance and blue water use, and its distinction between the two systems should be measured to increase representativeness of farming data.
Keywords: Life Cycle Assessment, strawberry cultivation, Morocco, Macro tunnel, tunnel Nantais, environmental impact, economic analysis, trade-offs