My Nonprofit Reviews

I read a thought provoking opinion article about how the recent drought (last 5-7 years) has negatively affected life in Morocco more than the Covid-19 pandemic. Knowing how much the pandemic affected my life and people around the world, this observation really struck me. Countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) are some of the most vulnerable in the world to the effects of climate change. The drought that Morocco is experiencing is the worst in decades and the IPCC predicts that drought conditions and temperatures will continue to rise in the MENA region for the foreseeable future. The drought affects every Moroccan through food system strains (and price increases) and directly affects the agriculture sector. Moroccans do not have the luxury of thinking about how climate change will affect just their future. Potential catastrophic climate change is their reality right now. They are in need of innovative and proactive solutions with the support of government and non-governmental organizations. The farmers of the Bio-Agri Atlas cooperative of Ouled Mbarak in the Beni Mellal region are to be commended for their eagerness to learn, adapt, and solve issues on their farms related to drought. I am honored to have been invited back to Ouled Mbarak to facilitate a workshop on Climate Smart Agriculture.

Climate Smart Agriculture contains many of the same principles as organic and regenerative agriculture, which was the focus of my last workshop in 2021. This visit gave me a chance to see if the farmers had been able to adopt any of the practices we discussed during the last workshops.

The effects of the drought were very visible. Many olive and citrus trees were dry and weathered. Farmers talked of their decreased yields in olives specifically resulting in very high prices for olive oil in the country - almost double from the previous year. Due to the increase in drought intensity over the last two years farmers had not been able to take many steps toward implementing organic agriculture practices on their cash crops. In fact, farmers that rely on rainwater and irrigation from the dam (that has been shut off to irrigation due to insufficient water levels) have not been able to plant many or in some cases any cash crops with their return on investment being little to none. Many farmers are unable to provide enough sustenance and income through farming and have left to find work in bigger cities, leaving farms sitting fallow. In fallow fields soil structure and nutrients are lost and erosion increases quickly.

During the workshop we spent considerable time talking about cover crops and no-till methods that could be used that are low in cost and can provide much needed nutrients to the soil. We also talked about cover crop residues, specifically leaving the winter wheat residue (stalks) after harvest in the ground and directly seeding the next crop (corn, beans, alfalfa, etc.) into the wheat residue when it is time to plant. No-till agriculture is an older method of farming that has been lost world wide as our farms have grown in size to feed a growing population. Tilling the soil with machinery became the fastest and preferred method of preparing the soil. Additional time saving methods of adding nutrients through chemical means and reducing crop diversity in favor of subsidized monocrops have also contributed to soil that is devoid of microbial life and organic matter. The soils in Morocco naturally have very little soil structure and are extremely susceptible to erosion through wind and water. When land is deep disc tilled there is a net loss in organic matter and soil microbes which are necessary for building a soil structure that can sustain plant life - even in drought conditions. A return to our ancestral methods of no-till farming and cover cropping is necessary for soil health and thus healthy crops. This will not only increase the fertility of the soil and boost crop production, but these steps will also sequester carbon from the air and return water to the water cycle for more predictable weather patterns. In the workshop we talked about the role of agriculture in climate change and how we can help as farmers. As farmers we have the power to significantly reduce climate change just by caring for our soil in a more holistic way. Caring for the soil this way will also help increase our yields and reduce the effects from severe weather.

Also at the workshop, the regional representative from the Department of Agriculture was present, which was very valuable to the participants. He was able to talk about the use of wells to withdraw groundwater for irrigation and what the possible long and short term groundwater and thus community impacts may be from this method. We discussed the need for a more coordinated effort of withdrawing groundwater and the Moroccan ancestral methods of khettara. The Department of Ag representative was also able to provide detailed information about applying for drip irrigation financial assistance incentives through the government’s Green Morocco Plan followed by a discussion of the barriers for applying.

I was honored to be able to visit a local farm of a farmer that attended the workshop. He graciously walked us through his land showing us his solar-powered well. The constant source of irrigation water has meant that his farm has suffered less than neighboring farms without a well. His well tended farm and garden was incredibly diverse in its plant and tree species and honestly one of the most beautiful I’ve seen. I was delighted to share a couscous meal with the team under the shade of a large carob tree! Discussion, research, and community engagement surrounding groundwater wells for irrigation seems to be of utmost importance for Morocco.

Aziz Taouri is a farmer and community leader in Ouled Mbarak who works tirelessly to improve his community through partnerships with national and international organizations, latrine projects at schools, homestay coordinations with the Semester at Sea program, helping establish and support cooperatives, and so much more. Aziz coordinated the cooperative of farmers for the climate smart agriculture workshop and also arranged a meeting for us with the Sultan Moulay Slimane University climate change researchers. These phD researchers are studying how climate change is affecting the surface water in the region’s watersheds. They are also bringing awareness to their research with public events and informational sessions. This research is the first for this Beni Mellal region and is vitally important to understanding the impact that climate change is having on the region and the country. The researchers expressed limitations in publishing, resources, and funding to properly continue and possibly expand their research.

Nothing quite fills one with hope as spending time with young children. We were invited to attend a primary school with an ecological focus to see their campus and plant some trees and aromatic plants with the students there. We met with the teachers and administrators beforehand and I was humbled by their dedication to the children and their emphasis on environmental education. One teacher had been teaching for 41 years! When we met with the students to plant a carob tree I was amazed at the knowledge of these students! At 11 and 12 years old they knew about soil erosion from water and wind and how trees help hold the soil in place. They knew the type of tree we were planting just by looking at the sapling. They also knew exactly how to plant a tree and what all the parts of the plant are called. They are the future of Morocco and our world. It is so important that these future generations know about the natural world, problems in our environment, and how to think about ways to solve these problems. These kids are problem solvers, eager to help their home and their world. The future looks very bright for Morocco with these kids as its leaders.

I was invited to participate in “Environmental Days” at the Sultan Moulay Slimane University School of Human Resources and Management organized by the environment club at the university. This group is dedicating their free time at school to learning about environmental issues and how to bring awareness to these issues at their school. Errachid Montassir with HAF talked about what HAF does in Morocco and challenged them to think about what “environment” means to them. I was able to speak about my schooling, my time in the Peace Corps in Morocco in 2004-06, my agricultural and environmental education experience since then, and finally my time volunteering in the Farmer-to-Farmer program. They had provoking thoughts and questions about the differences between American and Moroccan agriculture, and what they can do to combat climate change in their everyday life. They asked me why I keep coming back to Morocco. The answer was simple - it’s the people. They are warm and welcoming, eager to learn from me, and I from them. The generations of agriculture in their families and communities is a wealth of knowledge and I learn so much with every visit and conversation. The participatory approach to community development works well in Morocco because the people care deeply for their country and their fellow Moroccans. I am honored to be a part of it. I also love speaking Darija with Moroccans, playing soccer with them (Sir Team HAF!), and learning from them. Their simple lifestyle that focuses on relationships and taking time to enjoy the important things like eating good, wholesome food with friends and family warms my heart and fills me with hope for the future. I honestly cannot wait to return again.