The planting of HAF's 1 Millionth Fruit Tree will occur on January 16, 2014. This milestone event will occur at noon on that day in 8 provinces simultaneously: Al Haouz, Azilal, Boujdour, Essaouira, Ifrane, Rhamna, Taroudant, and Taza. HAF's organic agriculture projects encourage international trade, reinvestment in human development, and collaboration between different cultures and religious groups.
The HAF's sustainable agricultural mission is twofold: we strive to improve the livelihood of rural Moroccan communities, while maintaining an eco-friendly approach to economic growth. Morocco's subsistence farming coupled with a weak structural processing capacity continues to decrease entrepreneurial capital and thwart human development. Family farmers are transitioning to plant cash-crops, most commonly fruit trees, to generate greater income.
The planting of the one-millionth tree with be on January 16th, and will simultaneously occur with schoolchildren and communities at each of the project sites were HAF currently partners. As a part of Sami's Project, this planting ceremony will be celebrated with rural schoolchildren who are empowered with environmental knowledge; teaching children the value of modern arboriculture will help them break the cycle of poverty and will preserve the local environment for generations to come
The event of January 16th will reaffirm HAF's commitment to community-initiated human development in the provinces where it currently works. This ceremony is both a celebration of past success, and an acknowledgment of all the work that still needs to be done. Reaching this milestone has encouraged HAF and local partners to continue dedicating themselves to the improvement of the lives of rural Moroccan communities.
