Local Partner: La Voix de la Femme Amazighe
Background and objective:
The indigenous North African Amazigh have survived using holistic practices to protect their environment and ensure the sustainability of their livelihood. However, in the last several years one of the Amazigh’s resources critical to their livelihood and environment, the Argan Tree has been massively been destroyed through over-cultivation for its products that have a high demand globally and compounded by the effects of climate change, brought about a degradation of the environment and endangered the Amazigh way of life. The Argan tree, endemic to the semi-desert areas where the Amazigh live, making it a critical resource to be protected. This project will seek to increase Argan tree orchards/forests, document, record and publish Amazigh traditional practices regarding Argan tree and water preservation during drought and famine seasons, and reinforce these sustainable practices through intergenerational dialogue.
Local partner information: The Voice of the Amazighe Women is a non-profit, non-governmental national association and is the first Amazighe association for women’s rights in Morocco. VFA is dedicated to defending and advancing the rights of women in general and the Amazighe woman in particular. Since its founding in 2009, VFA and its partners have worked to promote the implementation of the provisions of the constitution, especially the ones related to the enforcement and respect of women’s rights in general and in particular those provisions related to the Amazighe women in Morocco. VFA works for the empowerment of Amazighe women through programs and activities on human rights, education, and legal literacy conducted in the Amazighe language.
