GIS-based multi-source database, a strategic tool for sustainable development planning: case of Qalaat Mgouna, Morocco

Sustainable development requires the control and comprehension of natural and anthropic parameters acting on the lifestyle of a target population. It necessitates the envisaging of possible risks related to the change in conditions of the development processes proceeding. Consequently, a database relating to the parameters considered for the planning of durable development programs is necessary. This work, taking the Qalaat Mgouna site as example, shows the utility of the geographic information system (GIS) technology for the gathering and the processing of data concerning natural parameters—geology, morphology, pedology and climate and anthropic parameters—demography, poverty and vulnerability to poverty. The study of the Qalaat Mgouna case shows an urgent need to act for improving the lifestyle of the local population, by adopting sustainable development processes and considering the progressive reduction in the natural resources due to the climatic change and anthropic causes. The result obtained is thus the development of an extensible and multi-source database and thematic maps, available for the planners and serving as a base document for planning development strategies and envisaging the risks associated with execution processes.