Irrigation Systems for Fruit Trees in Africa

It is worth considering, in light of humanity’s profound struggle against the world’s climate and matters of elemental justice, how the onset of the Biblical tale of Noah is relevant today.

According to ancient Hebraic commentaries, Noah actually grew the timber he used for his ark from seeds of cedar. In fact, the entire process of building the ark is said to have taken 120 years. 

The theme of this portion of the story is that the people, the public, any witnesses or observers, and anyone willing to listen had years of warning that a calamity, in this case utter destruction, was on its way.

Of course, many of us can relate to this idea in our own lives and situations when something less positive comes upon us, and we look back to how many signs appeared of what ultimately befell.

How many times could we have corrected our action, and in how many ways might we have adjusted or done something differently? 

Considering experiences of sustainable development and the projects that create livelihood opportunities while safeguarding the environmental future, it is also certainly apparent that there is overwhelming opportunity and, rarely, if ever, a lack of community vision and ideas for lasting, positive change if people are given the assistance they need to analyze and find the specific initiatives that will enhance their futures. 

At the same time, the so serious difficulty in securing the funds needed to implement those ideas—whether in water infrastructure, public health, education, or small businesses—makes implementation relatively uncommon, explaining at least in significant part, rampant, constant poverty. 

But we know the systemization of losing humanity’s potential. We have been warned about this and live through this. Ample warning was fixed in the story of the flood.

In Noah’s time, Divinity’s patience (or that of binding universal energy) seemed to have dissipated too low. 

Ancient commentaries about this Biblical episode explain what it was that finally brought torrential submersion upon civilization.

It is described as a consequence of that time’s rule of law, as an injustice against the common person where they were legally robbed of the value they created.

Might our time be characterized in such ways, with nations entrapped by other nations via debt, where mighty conglomerates pay nothing to their national public purse, where farmers of the world grow what is invaluable and retain just a fraction of the real value.

Only, in our time and perhaps in Noah’s, so much of this occurs unbeknownst to the one and the many who are stripped of their value. 

Hebraic immemorial knowledge about Noah’s time also explains that he did not enter the ark when the light rains first began to fall and, in fact, only finally entered when the waters reached his knees. The deluge had come and the wellsprings of the deep began to open.

Sages debate whether his hesitancy was due to a challenge of faith, or whether he held on to continue warning whoever could hear. However this question may be settled, some faulted Noah for not beseeching God Almighty enough on behalf of the people, his contemporaries, to save them and their world. 

What lesson can workers for sustainability learn who already so honestly worry about our time, who may have spent years building their mission ark, who may have done what one feels is one’s own best to espouse and try to build a pathway to prosperity’s harbor?

The lesson we can apply as leaders in our circles, as ones who may be able to represent others, organizations, groups, communities, or even just our own selves, is to relentlessly implore representatives of localities, states, and nations, presidents, prime ministers, and kings and queens.

Tell what it is that people need and where. Explain why it matters again and again, and do not stop ever, not once, even as the waters rise and the heat and cold burn. And, as we are beseeched, we will try and give the response we hope for when we are a beseecher. 

The rainbow, according to ancient thinking, seems a bit double-edged. Yes, it is a promise, a pact that we will last and we will continue forward.

At the same time, we are also warned not to dwell upon looking at the rainbow, however impossible it seems to not fixate on total beauty. 

Why not take in as long as we can that assurance that somehow humanity will find a way to sustain itself and our environment? Considering the warning not to settle one’s eyes on the rainbow for too long beyond just the time needed to recognize its good meaning, perhaps it may be explained that fixation upon the promise may take it for granted, may come to subdue our luster by believing in a guarantee sealed by the perfect beauty of a rainbow.

This makes one think, then, how certain is this actual promise if taking it for granted might ultimately mean its undoing? 

Where are we in our time along the 120-year spectrum? Have the light rains started? Are we calling out to any and all who may be open to the call? Have we fortified our own ark of service to others? Are we heeding Noah’s lessons so that whether flood or not, climate ruin or not, mutual assured destruction or not, regional wars or not, sudden disappointment or not, that we have done all we can and live on together we shall?

Repair and Rebuild Critical Agricultural Infrastructure

Introduction

Following the devastating earthquake that hit the Moroccan provinces of Al Haouz, Taroudant, Chichaoua, Marrakech, Ouarzazate, and Azilal on 8 September 2023, the High Atlas Foundation (HAF), with local and international partners, launched a dynamic, multidimensional relief and recovery program to address the needs of affected communities. The earthquake resulted in the loss of over 2,000 lives and caused significant damage to buildings and infrastructure. To date, the program has facilitated the delivery of essential aid, including water, food, clothing, bedding and tents, as well as intermediate shelters, group-based psychosocial empowerment workshops, as well as the reconstruction of road, water and agricultural infrastructure. 

Whilst communities continue to grieve the tragic loss of life and destruction of years of work, there is a shared focus on rebuilding. Field visits and discussions with community members revealed the need to rebuild damaged infrastructure to support individual health and well-being, the reestablishment of agricultural practices, and the livelihoods of the affected communities. From overwhelming loss has come opportunities to build back better; to realize projects that for years, if not decades, have been priorities for these communities. Leveraging over two decades of experience in community-led development in rural communities across Morocco, the broader program is implementing several projects focused on rehabilitating water infrastructure and agricultural terraces. This includes the proposed construction of a water basin, 16 agricultural terraces, and supporting infrastructure, within Missour village within the Tidili municipality, of the Taroudant province.

Project Objectives

The project is committed to improving the living conditions and rebuilding the livelihoods of earthquake-affected communities. It aims to:

1. Support community-led development.
2. Provide access to water for irrigation and agricultural purposes.
3. Support reestablishment of agricultural practices, including tree planting.
4. Promote sustainable practices.

The project will result in the construction of a water basin (for irrigation), sixteen agricultural terraces and supporting infrastructure including a water turbine, piping and fencing. This will expand capacity for tree planting and cultivation of fruit and nut trees (including walnut, almond, cherry, plum, apricot, pear, quince, fig, and prickly pear), as well as medicinal herbs (including mint, verbena, sage, rosemary, thyme, and lavender). Cultivating these native plants on terraced landscapes will provide the community with new streams of income and help them develop strong, resilient, and sustainable agricultural practices and food systems.

Project Location

Missour village is located within the Tidili municipality, in the Taroudant province. Missour is in an area of the High Atlas Mountains that is particularly susceptible to harsh weather, cold winters and hot summers. The village comprises 33 families (households) with a population of some 165 individuals. The predominant industry (and income) is agriculture. 

Project Activities

HAF staff visited the village on 20 February 2024, and met with community members to discuss the project scope. This is outlined below.

Water basin

The proposed water basin has a capacity of 144 kiloliters (kL), measuring 12m (length) by 6m (width) and 2m (depth). In response to water scarcity concerns during the summer season, the community of Missour is proposing to install a water turbine located in the existing river to power the pump at the water basin. This initiative aims to provide a sustainable solution for electricity generation and water distribution to the terraces.

Agricultural terraces

The location of the sixteen agricultural terraces was chosen due to the proximity of an existing water basin. The terraces are proposed below and to the left of the basin. A breakdown of the proposed terraces is provided in the table below. Furthermore, a fence will be erected to prevent animals and goats from accessing the terraces, consisting of 400 meters of fence with a height of 1.5 meters, supported by 133 poles.

Piping

In addition, 1,450m of piping is proposed. Comprising 750m of piping to convey water from the valley to the new basin, 200m of piping (with a diameter of 75mm) to distribute water from the basin to the terraces, and 500m of piping for drip irrigation. 

Partner Contribution

As part of the broader project within Missour, it is proposed that the funding generously offered by the Austrian Embassy will be allocated to the construction of the agricultural terraces. It is anticipated that this component will cost 74,850 Moroccan Dirhams (MAD). A breakdown of anticipated costs, including labor and tool costs, is provided below. To complete the terrace component of the project, it will take approximately fifteen workers specialized in this type of construction. Each terrace is anticipated to be completed within three days. The transportation of soil and organic fertilizer to the terraces is estimated to take twelve working days.

Conclusion

When the earthquake struck on 8 September 2023, the High Atlas Mountain communities experienced unprecedented shock. As outlined above, from the overwhelming loss has come opportunities to build back better; to realize projects which improve the lives and livelihoods of impacted communities. The community of Missour aspires to leverage the proposed project to support the reestablishment and enhancement of agricultural practices, including new tree planting, providing new forms of income as well as an overall healthy and productive community. HAF aims to empower communities to take ownership of these projects, ensuring their long-term sustainability. We sincerely thank the Austrian Embassy for their interest and ongoing support of HAF´s efforts. This partnership has the potential to support and further empower the community of Missour.