The Procurement of Sustenance in the Islamic Maghreb between Subsistence and Drought (2nd–6th c. AH / 8th–12th c. CE)

Abstract

There is no doubt that securing and managing livelihoods is crucial for the stability of the states in the Islamic Maghreb. This can only be achieved through studying and fully utilizing economic potential, taking into account all the political and natural conditions of the targeted region. This was also the case in the lands of the Islamic West. Livelihood in the Islamic Maghreb during the early centuries of the Middle Ages depended on diverse resources such as grains, dates, and fish, with development in agriculture thanks to technologies and innovations. The efforts and conditions for achieving this varied between the common people and the wealthy. The foods consumed during times of prosperity and hardship in the society were numerous; however, drought and famine presented a different challenge in managing livelihoods.