Glaner n'est rien, il faut moudre. The reasons for a research project

The mining operations undertaken by OCP for over a century have undeniably played a pivotal role in reshaping the landscape, urban areas, and societal structures. Nevertheless, the dynamics of development and economic advancement are accompanied by a multitude of challenges, rendering the Ouled Abdoun region a site replete with contradictions and thus presenting an intriguing subject for scholarly inquiry. Prior to the early 20th century, this area was predominantly rural, characterised by small Berber communities whose livelihoods were historically dependent on pastoralism and subsistence agriculture. However, since the early 1920s – following the discovery of extensive phosphate reserves – the region has evolved into one of Morocco's principal mining hubs. This rapid transformation has precipitated significant urban growth, marked by the establishment of entire cities that are fundamentally reliant on the mining sector for their existence.