{"id":1401,"date":"2018-10-31T17:30:10","date_gmt":"2018-10-31T16:30:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/didouqen.com\/?p=1401"},"modified":"2022-02-07T09:27:36","modified_gmt":"2022-02-07T09:27:36","slug":"lending-land-to-enhance-life","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wordpress-haf.ddev.site\/lending-land-to-enhance-life\/","title":{"rendered":"Lending Land to Enhance Life"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u2013\u00a0Lending Land to Enhance Life,<\/a>\u00a0Scoop News<\/strong>, by Kati Roumani (HAF\u00a0Moroccan Decentralization: Step by Step,<\/a>\u00a0Jerusalem Post<\/strong>, by Yossef Ben-Meir (HAF President), 6 August 2015.<\/p>\n

\n

HOUSE OF LIFE is an innovative agricultural initiative whose\u00a0<\/span>implications are broad and resonate acutely with current world events; set in the specific context of Moroccan human development needs and cultural history, the model thus created could be replicated throughout North Africa, the Middle East and beyond.<\/em><\/p>\n

\n

Marrakesh, Morocco<\/p>\n

The term HOUSE OF LIFE denotes a traditional name for a Jewish cemetery. \u00a0It was therefore particularly appropriate for the Governor of the Al Haouz Province, Youn\u00e8s Al Bathaoui, to employ the phrase in respect of the project, led by the High Atlas Foundation (HAF) in the Kingdom of Morocco and endorsed by the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) in three provinces.<\/span><\/p>\n

The uniqueness of the scheme lies in its intercultural aspect. \u00a0HOUSE OF LIFE facilitates the free loan of land adjoining Jewish burial sites, in order to establish organic tree and medicinal nurseries for the benefit of neighboring Muslim farming communities.<\/span><\/p>\n

Aided by the creation of\u00a0<\/span>HA3<\/span><\/a>\u00a0(the High Atlas Agriculture and Artisanal social enterprise), a complete process from farm to table is envisaged, thus addressing existing gaps in the organic agricultural entrepreneurial system. \u00a0Organic certification, fair trade prices and wider markets \u2013 national and international \u2013 are secured for local farmers, whose communities go on to benefit from reinvestment in further projects.<\/span><\/p>\n

The initiative forms part of HAF\u2019s One Billion Tree Campaign, itself one of several different human development schemes implemented by the foundation.\u00a0 All\u00a0HAF projects aim towards environmental consciousness, socio-economic self-sufficiency and sustainability. \u00a0They include organic agriculture, clean water and energy as well as programs addressing the particular vulnerability of\u00a0<\/span>women<\/span><\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>youth<\/span><\/a>\u00a0and enhancing cultural diversity.<\/span><\/p>\n

Evolution of an idea<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The HOUSE OF LIFE pilot project was established at Akrich, Al Haouz province, a rural area outside Marrakesh, in 2012. \u00a0The locally managed nursery was established by HAF on land lent by the Jewish community of Marrakesh-Essaouira, adjacent to the tomb of Rabbi Raphael HaCohen, one of over 600 Jewish burial sites dotted across the country, in rural as well as urban areas.<\/span><\/p>\n

In February 2015,\u00a0<\/span>at a ceremony<\/span><\/a>\u00a0presided over by the Governor of Al Haouz, Mr. Youn\u00e8s Al Bathaoui, 30,000 seeds and saplings were planted and a further 30,000 two-year-old trees \u2013 olive, fig, pomegranate and lemon \u2013 were set aside for distribution to local farmers.<\/span><\/p>\n

At the same time, the proposed extension of this scheme across the entire Kingdom was announced, five further contracts having been put in place. \u00a0Thereafter, in June, discussions were finalized resulting in the endorsement by the CGI of the project in Azilal, Essaouira and Ouarzazate provinces in the context of a proposal to plant a million organic fruit seeds at Jewish sacred sites.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis initiative will give more life to these regions and will reinforce the hopes and perspectives of their inhabitants,\u201d noted Governor Al Bathaoui.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Moroccan context<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Rural Moroccans comprise 43 per cent of the country\u2019s 32 million population, with 75 per cent of rural households earning less than the national average (IFAD, 2013). \u00a0Currently, farmers rely primarily on revenue from barley and corn; while these staples are planted on more than 70 per cent of agricultural land, they account for only 10 to 15 per cent of agricultural revenue, according to Morocco\u2019s Agency for Agricultural Development. \u00a0Farmers therefore are making the transition to planting cash crops, typically fruit trees and plants, to generate greater income.<\/span><\/p>\n

One billion trees and medicinal plants<\/span><\/a>are needed as part of the process of overcoming subsistence agriculture, which is at the root of rural poverty. \u00a0Their establishment would also help offset severe environmental challenges facing the Kingdom, particularly soil erosion, desertification and deforestation.<\/span><\/p>\n

Modern Morocco is comprised of several cultures including its Jewish community, present in the region for two thousand years and possessing an important architectural legacy.\u00a0 The Kingdom is committed to the celebration of this rich mosaic;\u00a0<\/span>cultural preservation initiatives<\/span><\/a>\u00a0(that could be viewed as something of a luxury in a developing country) are viewed as taking place ideally in the\u00a0<\/span>context of vital human development projects<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The High Atlas Foundation: for sustainable prosperity<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

A Moroccan-US non-governmental organization, HAF, based in Marrakesh, Morocco, was founded in 2000 by former <\/span>Peace Corp<\/span><\/a>s<\/span>\u00a0Volunteers, including HAF President\u00a0<\/span>Dr. Yossef Ben-Meir<\/span><\/a>. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The foundation uses a democratic, participatory approach to enable marginalized, mostly rural, Moroccan communities to determine what they most need and to facilitate project success.<\/span><\/p>\n

The broad goals are twofold: to cease subsistence agricultural practices that trap communities in a vicious cycle of rural poverty and to develop the local and national economy through a variety of green growth business initiatives, overseen initially by the foundation.<\/span><\/p>\n

Rural cooperatives<\/span><\/a>\u00a0are created as a necessary mechanism for business activity; HAF – through HA3, its subsidiary corporate service – ensures a fair market price, enabling farmers to receive greater income. \u00a0A significant added value is achieved when the produce is marketed as organic, fair-trade and environmentally and socially responsible.<\/span><\/p>\n

Profits are reinvested in further projects prioritized by the communities themselves, in education, health, water infrastructure and small business development particularly for women and young people.<\/span><\/p>\n

All of this is conducted in the context of a zero waste strategy. \u00a0HAF anticipates using the\u00a0<\/span>walnut and almond<\/span><\/a>\u00a0shells and hulls to produce low emission fuel briquettes. \u00a0Ultimately, the aim is to export Moroccan fair-trade, organic produce to the US and EU markets.<\/span><\/p>\n

Recently, HAF\u2019s work has expanded beyond Morocco and its ethos and methodology hold the potential to benefit communities worldwide.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In Moroccan terms, HAF\u2019s\u00a0<\/span>sustainable development vision<\/span><\/a>,<\/span>\u00a0as shared with CGI, mirrors the Kingdom\u2019s vision for itself, with the HOUSE OF LIFE project,\u00a0<\/span>linking Morocco\u2019s Muslim farming families and Jewish communities, ably embodying a multiplicity of goals.<\/span><\/p>\n

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About the Author:\u00a0<\/span>Kati Roumani, based in Marrakesh, works in the field of intercultural understanding and Jewish history and assists the High Atlas Foundation in its communications.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

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Follow HAF on Twitter\u00a0@HafFdtn<\/a>\u00a0or like us on\u00a0Facebook<\/a><\/p>\n

Learn more at\u00a0www.highatlasfoundation.org<\/a><\/p>\n

For more information please contact:\u00a0HAF@highatlasfoundation.org<\/a><\/span>\u00a0; +212 (0) 5 24 42 08 21<\/p>\n

Anthony Bald, Intern<\/h5>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u2013\u00a0Lending Land to Enhance Life,\u00a0Scoop News, by Kati Roumani (HAF\u00a0Moroccan Decentralization: Step by Step,\u00a0Jerusalem Post, by Yossef Ben-Meir (HAF President), 6 August 2015. HOUSE OF LIFE is an innovative agricultural initiative whose\u00a0implications are broad and resonate acutely with current world events; set in the specific context of Moroccan human development needs and cultural history, the<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":22323,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[54,47,48],"tags":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/wordpress-haf.ddev.site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/telechargement-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress-haf.ddev.site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1401"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress-haf.ddev.site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress-haf.ddev.site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress-haf.ddev.site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress-haf.ddev.site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1401"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress-haf.ddev.site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1401\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20128,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress-haf.ddev.site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1401\/revisions\/20128"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress-haf.ddev.site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22323"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress-haf.ddev.site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1401"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress-haf.ddev.site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1401"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress-haf.ddev.site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1401"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}