Plant Organic Fruit Trees with African Farmers

Ramadan Kareem on behalf of the High Atlas Foundation!

Here at HAF, we are busy with obtaining organic certification for Moroccan agricultural products. Agricultural products marketed through a new social enterprise, High Atlas Agricutlure and Artisanal (HA3), will generate increased income for marginalized populations in Morocco and create a multiplied return.  These organic, fair-trade, environmentally sustainable, and socially responsible products will empower rural Moroccans while simultaneously improving their access to clean drinking water and education through reinvestment.

The Organic Fruit Tree and Medicinal Herb Nurseries project is especially pertinent to the progress of HA3. The demand for organic and fair-trade agriculture has come directly from rural Moroccans, who wish to break the cycle of subsistence agriculture. The medicinal herb nurseries will especially help to empower women, who will manage the nurseries. During Ramadan, HAF plans to incorporate the participatory development method into nursery management plans and begin training community members in Ouaouizerth, Ait Mhamed, and Tifnoute. Plans for tree-planting and irrigation systems are underway, and with the harvest soon approaching, the need for organic certification becomes increasingly important.

To hear more about HA3, and this new exciting chapter in HAF, view a message from HAF’s president, Yossef Ben-Meir here. Organic certification benefits not only the local communities, but reinvests in Morocco’s agriculture, environment, and education.