ACACTAE : Articulating Agrarian Communities and their rural Communes, together for an innovative land governance and an Agroecological Transition in the Siroua mountains
M&D's action is based on three principles: participation of the populations in the decisions and financing of projects, village solidarity, and partnership with local authorities. The training of actors (elected officials, executives of village associations, local administrations, cooperators) is a major axis of its interventions.
Overview of the project
- On site training open to all on agroecology. The training engineering was developed and adapted to the specific challenges of the territory. The sessions focused on compost, natural treatment of diseases, crop rotation, etc., and were carried out on small pilot plots of the different farming communities
- Selection of extension workers (popularizers) as key actors for change. Through various criteria, these first training sessions allowed to identify the most dynamic and motivated farmers to expand their knowledge in agroecology. Additional training was organised to strengthen their abilities on teaching techniques to transfer new skills and on change management
- Transmission of agroecological values. The role of these extension workers was to transfer and disseminate their knowledge and values to their peers in order to generate social change in favour of an agroecological transition. Having already practiced and observed the results, they were able to they were able to transmit them in a credible and legitimate way
- Development of 2 watersheds after a choice made in consultation with the technical team and the village associations
- Support for social change. The objective was to integrate agroecology as a global territorial approach and not as simple plot-based experiments. The implementation of a new governance between the CA and the CR aimed to structure the territorial network around agroecology
- Empowerment through the creation of cooperatives. Some of the farmers who took part in the training courses have formed cooperatives in order to structure their approach to marketing agroecological products
The goal is to articulate agrarian communities and rural communes as actors of an innovative land governance for an agro-ecological transition (ACACTAE) in the Siroua mountains, Souss-Massa region: Enhance the potential of the territory by preserving the agro-ecosystem through an ecological intensification of agriculture and livestock farming. The ACACTAE project seeks to act against the degradation of the natural resources of the Siroua mountains in Morocco by establishing a dialogue and rules of use applied by all, for an agro-ecological transition of the territory.
Ongoing research
04/01/2017 – 12/31/2021
- 630 people sensitised and 60 farmers trained in agroecological practices
- 15 extension workers / facilitators selected to follow a cycle of 6 additional training courses, as they are now playing a pivotal role in social change by establishing the transfer of their knowledge to their peers. To date, 109 of their peers are applying agroecology practices
- 13 hectares of land dedicated to agroecology in the Siroua massif
- Agroecological practices applied on 145 farms in the project area
- Watershed management on 2 sites
- Group dynamics observed among the 15 selected extension workers / facilitators
- Re-appropriation of farms by producers, enabling them to develop income-generating activities and contribute to the development of their village
- New land governance between the CAs and the CR, thanks to the implementation of agroecological practices, leading to better management of natural resources on the territory
- Biodiversity expansion in the watersheds, thanks to the regeneration and preservation of soils and species
- Real change in mentalities regarding the management of common areas, and more particularly in terms of biodiversity preservation
This project was financed with the support of the The French Development Agency, the Léa Nature Foundation, and PMF-PNUD
organisation
M&D is a Franco-Moroccan association, created in 1986 by migrants to carry out development actions in the first villages of the Souss-Massa region. The association has progressively evolved from a development association to a development support association, ensuring facilitation and guidance for local actors, always on the basis of support for initiatives arising from local energies. Thus, M&D positions itself as a “catalyst” in order to stimulate the dynamics of actors and contribute to change through innovation.
The main activities are structured in 4 main poles:
- Sustainable Agriculture and Environment
- Governance and Territorial Animation
- Mobilities and Solidarities
- Learning Communication for Change and Expansion
in collaboration
The RCs (Rural Communes) of Assaisse and Siroua: The two communes involved were informed and involved throughout the activities. They have made commitments, particularly with regard to land tenure, the development of know-how and the sustainable use of water resources.
The ACs: The Agrarian Communities, made up of the local population, were the target groups of this project. They are defined through the 5 ethnic communities or tribal structures that make up the territory and are recognised as such by the population.
Institutional partners :
- Ouarzazate Regional Agricultural Development Office
- National Agency for the Development of Oasis Areas and the Argan Tree