Morocco is encouraging sustainable production while preserving natural resources, said Minister of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries, Rural Development, and Water and Forests, Mohammed Sadiki in a parliament session on January 2.
The minister also highlighted adopting new measures to reduce climate change impacts and build resilient agriculture.
In support of Morocco’s national forest 2020-2030 strategy, the French Development Agency (AFD) is launching the first international cooperation program for forestry sector management in partnership with the National Agency for Water and Forests (ANEF), the French Global Environment Facility (FFEM), and Expertise France (EF).
The new program aims to reforest 50,000 hectares of forest per year, promoting participatory management by local populations, and strengthening tools for preserving Morocco’s biodiversity and natural heritage.
In addition, the program focuses on deepening scientific research on forest governance, strengthening the fight against climate change, and reducing gender inequalities in Morocco’s forestry sector.
ANEF, AFD, and EF have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for 100 million euros and a 3 million euro grant for the project.
In parallel to this agreement, Morocco and the FFEM are co-financing pilot projects in Ifrane’s National Park for 5.9 million euros and 1.8 million euros.
The pilot projects aim to preserve biodiversity and create employment related to outdoor sports.
Director of French Development Agency (AFD) in Morocco, Quiterie Pincent, told Morocco World News (MWN), “The program aims to reform forestry’s sector jobs, train and recruit local animators.”
Pincent also noted that training ANEF’s agents is necessary to raise awareness among inhabitants on forest management and nature conservation.
Toward Sustainable Forest Management
Morocco’s forest area covers more than 9 million hectares, with an overall afforestation rate of 8%. The Rif and Middle Atlas regions have the highest afforestation rate of 40% while the southern provinces have the lowest rate of 4%.
Statistics show that Morocco’s forestry sector represents 0.4% of the national GDP and 2% of the agricultural GDP. Moreover, it also contributes to timber’s needs and industry by 30%, employment creation, and national energy balance by 18%.
Since the 1990s, Morocco has developed an institutional and legal framework to face threats, including 30 legislative and regulatory texts, programs, and actions of governmental and civil society actors.
The country also plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 4% through the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), a climate action plan to have full effect by 2030.
The program has facilitated several advances, including reforestation, financial support, and gender equality.
Pincent highlighted that despite the COVID-19 crisis and drought, 27,000 hectares of land were reforested in 2021, 188 pastoral associations were financially supported, and more than 7,000 improved ovens were distributed to women in the most vulnerable forest communities.
She also stressed that they will pursue forest management’s efforts by increasing sensitive wetlands’ protection.
Ghabati, Hayati highlights the strengthening of the strategic partnership between France and Morocco. The two countries are driving forces in the fight against global warming and declining biodiversity at an international level.
In an interview, Pincent told MWN that Morocco and France face comparable global warming threats. “Last summer, the two countries experienced dramatic forest fires needing a high-level dialogue and experiences sharing to find key solutions,” she noted.
Participatory Forestry Governance
While Morocco has made a progress in forest management, the sector has still posed major challenges, including a lack of community participation, insufficient coordination between actors, full gender integration, and climate change and natural disasters.
Even though Morocco has introduced a participatory forestry policy in 2002, local communities’ involvement ranges from symbolic participation (information and consultation) to an actual policy(managing forestry issues).
The policy also depends on several factors; organizing users by territory such as grazing rights by territory, establishing partnership contracts on land rights and duties, and autonomizing local associations.
Secondly, Morocco’s forest governance requires long-term multidimensional cooperation, aligned goals, and a sustainable vision in order to meet Morocco’s climate commitments on the international stage.
Finally, Morocco adopted several measures empowering women in forestry management. The country implemented a program in 2014 promoting gender equality in the forestry sector.
Morocco’s Water and Forests Department also launched a project including 45% women in local cooperatives in partnership with the UN’s Industrial Development Organization and Swiss Cooperation.
Integrating gender equality depends on projects’ sustainability, long-term financing (gender budgeting), and social and economic empowerment of rural women and girls.
Pincent outlined key steps to promote gender equality in forestry management, including a detailed analysis of gender issues and deploying training programs to local actors. “A study by UN Women will be released in the upcoming months to formulate a diagnosis on the forestry sector’s gender issues,” she highlighted.
Pincent also indicated that it is necessary to involve women and youth in planning and animation tools in order to promote inclusive forest governance in Morocco. “Raising awareness among women and young people is essential to preserve our common good (forest),” she said.
In summary, participatory governance is a pre-condition to ensure exchanges between experts, foresters, local populations, and public institutions. “Morocco’s forests and local populations will be well supported to preserve our exceptional natural heritage,” she concluded.
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