Full cost : 120,000 euros SUPPORT ARGAN OIL PRODUCERS Duration : 4 years TO SAFEGUARD THE SAHARAN BEE Start : april 2015 Morocco’s argan oil is very popular on the international market. The argan tree ecosystem is under constant pressure making it particularly vulnerable, which, in turn, affects the communities who make their livelihood from this tree. Rabat Casablanca Marrakech Agadir Western Sahara MOROCCO A project implemented by : Diversification of econo- mic activities, through the development of beekeeping, is a way to And supported by : address both environ- mental and economic issues in the region. Major issues The project and the prospects for Main achievements in 2018 The argan forest ecosystem has become change highly sensitive due to the loss of The project aims to reduce pressure on the Economic development biodiversity, soil degradation and the argan forest by diversifying the sources • Installation of 120 new colonized overexploitation of natural resources. of income of argan producers, notably hives; The argan Argan Saharan bee In the past, this forest constituted a dense through the promotion of beekeeping • Support the recolonization of 58 forest honey natural forest in the Mediterranean coastal (training in marketing). vacated hives; area. Indeed, rural communities in southern The site and its biodiversity The preservation of this exceptional Morocco remain poor despite the • Support the training of women and monitoring of the collection within heritage that represents almost 10% of encouraging development that the argan The project is being implemented in a the 6 cooperatives; Morocco’s forest area is crucial for the sector brings for women in the region and UNESCO-classified biosphere reserve; the ecosystem and the rural communities of honey is one of the very few other business • Organization of an exchange visit argan forest area in the Moroccan region the Moroccan High Atlas, and in particular opportunities for these communities. with the women of the 6 beneficiary of Souss-Tensift between Essaouira and women farmers, that rely on its resources. Agadir. As such, the development of beekeeping cooperatives and the expert women Argan fruits produce an oil that is beekeepers based in Ouarzazate. will diversify income while reducing The area is home to the iconic Argania highly sought after on the national and pressures on the ecosystem and allowing spinosa, an endemic species from which international markets. for the replenishing of Saharan bee argan oil is produced. It is estimated that the argan forest region populations. Argan oil is a commodity produced has lost half its surface area over the The project objectives are: since antiquity and traditionally used last century due to increasing pressure in Morocco for cosmetic and culinary resulting from demand and human • To support the women who are purposes. activities. Maintaining biodiversity in this independent honey producers in the environment is therefore fundamental Berber village of Tafdena (Essaouira) Argan forests represent an original and to addressing both environmental and and to promote conservation of unique ecosystem that holds a high economic issues in the region. indigenous melliferous plants in the cultural and heritage value. Committed partners area; Local communities demonstrate strong • To develop beekeeping to enable commitment to the argan tree despite The UCFA is the first union of women’s women working for cooperatives all the constraints associated with its cooperatives in Morocco, that aims to based in Taroudant to diversify their exploitation, whether natural or socio- support cooperatives by strengthening the resources; economic. marketing of the member cooperatives’ TISSALIWINE brand products, which • To boost the local economy in the Historically, argan forests provided honey, cover the entire argan forest area: Agadir village of Zaouia Nahlia by enhancing produced with care by a bee subspecies - Idaoutanan, Tiznit, Taroudant, Chtouka the historical and cultural heritage (Apis mellifera sahariensis). Ait Baha and Essaouira. strongly associated with beekeeping. This species became threatened by locust It supports women living in the RBA control treatments and by voluntary Arganeraie biosphere reserve and their introduction or transhumance of Tellian families, by generating income while bees or “black bees”. ensuring the supply and sale of healthy, high quality products on the national or international market. .