Youssef Tamk, the Man Who Introduced Moringa Plant to South Morocco

Rabat – Boosting social entrepreneurship in Morocco’s southern regions has been the aspiration of several young entrepreneurs, including Youssef Tamk, holder of the “Pilot Farm Project for the Cultivation and Production of Moringa” in the Assa-Zag province in the southern region of Guelmim-Oued-Noun.

In an interview with Morocco World News, 36-year-old Youssef spoke of his project, which consists of planting the moringa tree and converting its parts into cosmetic products and nutritional supplements. Located in the town of Touizgui, Youssef’s innovative project has the potential to create a positive impact on the region, he highlighted.

Moringa, or moringa oleifera, is a multipurpose food plant that has been used for centuries in folk medicine, as it contains several healthy compounds. Moringa is native to India but also grows in parts of Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

Miracle plant

Describing moringa as the “miracle plant”, Youssef recounted the various benefits the moringa plant possesses, including in its bark, pods, nuts, leaves, seeds, flowers, tubers, and roots. “The tree is rich with vitamins, proteins, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory properties,” he noted.

According to Youssef, the plant is capable of paving the way for projects in several fields, including the food, medical, and cosmetic industries. “After the extraction of oil and taking the leaves for human use, we are left with waste that we use in producing animal food,” he explained.

“The most important part,” Youssef says, is that after extracting oil from the moringa seeds, the seeds’ waste product has unique water purification properties, “turning wastewater into drinking water.”

In addition, Youssef highlighted the tree’s impressive ability to mitigate the effects of climate change, arguing that one hectare of moringa produces up to 300 tonnes of oxygen per day.

How it all started

Youssef began working on his project in 2013. Throughout the nine past years, he faced many obstacles trying to launch his project.

Youssef, who initially intended to start a jojoba project, learned about the moringa tree from a friend. Impressed with the plant’s properties, Youssef conducted research about moringa and contacted specialists from different countries, including Sudan, Egypt, and the United States to learn more about the plant.

“We faced many difficulties but, thank god, we were one of the first people that introduced moringa to Morocco,” Youssef said. In collaboration with the National Institute for Agricultural Research and Scientific Institute of Mohammed V University, Youssef and his team were able to acquire the state’s authorization to bring the plant to Morocco and start planting it.

Morocco’s National Office for Food Safety (ONSSA) granted Youssef a “code” for moringa, giving him the authorization to plant moringa in Morocco following specific guidelines.

Alongside his team, Youssef conducted the first “experimental planting” of the tree in the region of Azza-Zag, which was a “huge success,” he said. Youssef also planted the tree in several other Moroccan regions, including Agadir, Chichaoua, Kenitra, and Errachidia. But the planting was most successful in Azza Zag due to the hot, dry climate of the region.

Moringa can withstand harsh temperatures as high as 47 degrees Celsius, but the plant grows best in temperatures between 25 and 35 degrees, making the Assa-Zag region an optimal environment for growing the miracle plant. The moringa is also drought resistant, and does not require a lot of water to grow.

Long journey ahead

Seeking financial support to launch his project, Youssef and his team postulated a feasibility study in a number of institutions but received no funding. Youssef attributed the lack of support to people’s unfamiliarity with the plant, leading to a hesitancy to invest in a project they did not believe could work.

Despite the minimal support the project received, Youssef, alongside his team and different organizations that offered guidance and moral support, was able to launch his project.

The Moroccan Center for Innovation and Social Entrepreneurship (MCISE) shared its expertise with the team and provided them with support and guidance to take the first steps in building the project. The team also participated in the “A Thousand Ideas” initiative, which provided the project with further support and guidance.

Upon starting the project, Youssef and his team faced several obstacles, including the search for water in a region that suffers from water scarcity. The team eventually succeeded in locating groundwater and digging wells, as well as equipping a 15-hectare plot of land for the planting of moringa trees.

Of the 15 hectares, the team has so far planted half a hectare, with over 120 moringa trees. “We are developing our project step by step, with plans to plant as many hectares as possible,” he said, adding that by the end of 2022, the moringa trees will cover an area of two hectares.

Earlier this month, Jabrane Rekloaui, Director General of the Agency for the Promotion and Economic and Social Development of Morocco’s southern regions, granted Youssef and his team the authorization to expand the moringa project to the Mahbes region, 145 kilometers south of the Town of Touizgui. Reklaoui also signed an agreement to equip the project’s production unit with machinery and a solar energy system.

Innovative project

Using different parts of the moringa tree, the initiative has developed five products, including moringa green leaf powder, which is used as a diet supplement, and moringa oil which is used to treat joint pain and muscle spasms. The project also produces oil for hair loss, a face mask, and perfume distilled water.

The team is currently working on developing and introducing more moringa-based products, including soap, shampoo, and gel, Youssef noted.

“The more the project grows, the more job opportunities it will create, which in turn would provide us with economic liquidity, allowing us to expand the project across other Moroccan regions,” Youssef added.

So far, the project has seven employees, who are in charge of planting trees and producing moringa products. Alongside his team, Youssef aspires to grow his project and have his products cover the national and international markets.

With demand exceeding supply, Youssef’s moringa products enjoy popularity among customers in Morocco and abroad, including in Belgium, France, the Netherlands, and Germany.

The project is currently present on several social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and Linkedin, Youssef indicated, noting that the team is currently developing a website for the initiative.

Calling for support

Stressing the great benefits of planting the moringa tree in the region, Youssef has urged local authorities in the Assa-Zag region to encourage such innovative projects. He argued that supporting young entrepreneurs would not only benefit the project holders, but also create job opportunities for the locals.

“I hope we achieve our goal, which is to become Morocco’s biggest production unit for the moringa,” he said. He now hopes to receive financial support to develop his project and reach his business objectives, one of which is “to plant one million moringa and jojoba trees.”

During the interview, Youssef extended his thanks to the Moroccan Center for Innovation and Social Entrepreneurship (MCISE), a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting social entrepreneurship in Morocco, especially in under-developed regions such as southern Morocco. He also thanked the Council of the Guelmim-Oued Noun region.

Rim Riouch, MCISE’s Communication and Marketing Director, told Morocco World News that the center focuses on disadvantaged and underdeveloped Moroccan regions “that need these kinds of programs” to help locals “have an impact on their own region.” “We help entrepreneurs become resilient and independent by learning how to fundraise,” she added.