Ouarzazate — As Morocco grapples with the mounting impacts of climate change, the National Agency for the Development of Oasis and Argan Zones (ANDZOA) is sounding the alarm about the urgent need to protect two of the country’s most fragile yet economically vital ecosystems.
In an interview with Morocco World News (MWN), ANDZOA Director Latifa Yaacoubi painted a stark picture of the challenges facing Morocco’s argan forests and oasis communities, while outlining her agency’s comprehensive strategy to build resilience against an uncertain climatic future.
“Climate change is truly a scourge in these two ecosystems – argan and oases,” Yaacoubi said.
“We experience it, we observe it in the field, as does the local population living in these two ecosystems.”
Since its establishment in 2012, ANDZOA has been tasked with what Yaacoubi describes as the delicate balance of “reconciling two essential objectives.” The agency promotes sustainable development while preserving these unique biospheres that are home to millions of Moroccans and represent significant economic potential for the country.
A collaborative approach to conservation
ANDZOA’s mission extends beyond direct intervention to fostering collaboration across Morocco’s research and academic institutions.
Rather than conducting research independently, ANDZOA works closely with partners, including the National Institute of Agricultural Research (INRA), the Hassan II Agronomic and Veterinary Institute (IAV), and various universities to establish priority research programs.
“We must accompany and support scientific research with our partners,” Yaacoubi explained, stressing the importance of ensuring that research outcomes directly complement the agency’s development programs on the ground.
This collaborative spirit extends to ANDZOA’s signature events, including the International Argan Congress, held every two years since 2011, and the International Dates Food Salon, which incorporates a significant scientific component.
The agency is now planning to establish a dedicated scientific event for date palms, alternating with the argan congress every two years.
Climate projections paint troubling picture
The urgency of ANDZOA’s mission becomes clear when considering the climate projections for Morocco’s southern regions.
Yaacoubi outlined a troubling forecast of “less rainfall, fewer water resources, and increasingly rising temperatures” — conditions that will only compound the existing vulnerability of these delicate ecosystems.
“The fragility of these ecosystems makes them even more vulnerable and also makes the local population more vulnerable,” she noted.
This vulnerability creates a cascading effect where environmental degradation directly threatens the livelihoods of communities that have depended on these ecosystems for generations.
Prevention over reaction
Perhaps most critically, Yaacoubi spoke of ANDZOA’s strategy that centers on anticipation rather than merely responding to climate impacts after they occur.
“We must anticipate these climate changes,” she stressed.
“All the programs we are setting up with our partners, whether national or international, go in this direction — how to preserve what we have today and how to make it more resilient.”
This forward-thinking approach represents a shift from traditional conservation models that often focus on damage control to one that seeks to build systemic resilience before catastrophic changes take hold.
Integrated development strategy
ANDZOA’s work is characterized by what Yaacoubi calls an “integrated program” that requires coordination across all relevant government departments and the pooling of both human and financial resources.
This holistic approach recognizes that the challenges facing Morocco’s argan and oasis zones cannot be addressed in isolation but require coordinated action across multiple sectors.
The agency’s strategy acknowledges that these ecosystems face multiple, interconnected pressures.
Beyond climate change, factors such as desertification, water scarcity, and economic pressures on local communities all contribute to the degradation of these environments.
A race against time
ANDZOA’s mission has taken on added urgency in recent years as Morocco has continued to experience more frequent droughts and extreme weather events.
The argan forests of southwestern Morocco and the palm oases scattered across the country’s arid regions represent not just environmental treasures but also crucial economic lifelines for rural communities.
The argan tree, found nowhere else in the world, supports a thriving cosmetics and culinary industry, while the date palm oases provide food security and economic opportunity in some of Morocco’s most marginalized regions.
Yaacoubi’s awareness-raising comments come as Morocco prepares to host various international climate conferences and continues to position itself as a leader in renewable energy and climate adaptation.
For her, ANDZOA’s work represents a crucial test case for how developing nations can balance economic development with environmental preservation in an era of accelerating climate change.
He believes that the success or failure of efforts to protect Morocco’s argan and oasis ecosystems may well serve as a bellwether for similar conservation challenges across North Africa and the broader developing world.
“We must all redouble our efforts,” Yaacoubi concluded, stressing that the scale of the climate challenge requires unprecedented coordination and commitment from all stakeholders.
