The Project region of Souss-Massa lies in the south of Morocco and consists of the administrative regions of the Agadir province and Taroudant. Bordered in the west by the Atlantic, in the east by the Atlas mountains from north to south, i.e. the Anti Atlas, its total area amounts to approx. 12,000 km². Of this, the Souss-Massa plain takes up approx. 575,000 hectares. The total population amounted to 1,037,400 in 1982, the Arabian population making out around 20% and the Berbers 80% (Taroudant 40% and 60%) in Massa.
The climate on the Souss-Massa plain is semi-arid and influenced by three factors: the opening to the Atlantic Ocean, the chains of mountains converging to the east and the desert zone. Protected by the massif, a moderating influence of the Atlantic Ocean can be observed up to 30 km into the interior of the plain and thus allows the cultivation of early crops. In Taroudant annual precipitation amounts to 228 mm, January having the highest precipitation with 144 mm. This low degree of precipitation mostly concentrated into only a few days proves to be very limiting to agriculture. The mean temperatures in Taroudant amount to 13.6°C in January and 27.1°C in July. Atmospheric humidity is 1,407 mm in Taroudant.
Agriculture is of major importance to the Moroccan economy and employs 40% of the working population. Its contribution to the GNP amounts to between 15% and 20% depending on the harvest, and to approx. 25% to exports. The tertiary sector, extensively marked by trade, is with 35% a major contributor to employment. The differentiated producing sector contributed 18% to the GNP in 1989. Phosphate and its industrial derivatives form the most important source of foreign currency followed by agricultural products (mainly citrus fruits). Considerable fluctuations in the GNP are chiefly a result of agricultural yields being extensively influenced by fluctuations in precipitation. Agriculture is mainly pursued along the coastline although the Central Atlas also shows significant agricultural production.
Agriculture in the project region of Souss-Massa is significant in supplying the domestic markets and for export and, in line with this significance, was highly subsidised. In 1988 it produced 413,000 t citrus fruits (50% for export) and 381,000 t vegetables which corresponds to 30% and 17% of national production. (In addition, a production of 156,000 t cereals and 61 million litres of milk). The fact that more than half of the 228,000 hectares of intensively cultivated arable land is irrigated shows the success of the irrigation policy pursued by the ORMVA Souss-Massa in the so-called "Golden Triangle" since 1978. In 1990 the number of cattle was estimated to be 122,000.
The region is confronted by a rapid decline in the Argania forests which are important for the climate of the region. This shows that the most important traditional source of energy in Morocco (particularly in rural areas) remains to be wood. More than 80% of the primary national energy production is gained from wood. An efficient control of wood felling by the authorities despite legal regulations does not exist. The substitution of wood as a source of energy is formulated politically and supported by the subsidy of bottled gas, yet the protection of the forests has not yet found any efficient concept. As evident in the region of Souss-Massa for example, the technical competence of the organisations responsible is directed more to extensive conservation of the resource water.