Irrigation Systems for Fruit Trees in Africa

Repair and Rebuild Critical Agricultural Infrastructure

Introduction

Following the devastating earthquake that hit the Moroccan provinces of Al Haouz, Taroudant, Chichaoua, Marrakech, Ouarzazate, and Azilal on 8 September 2023, the High Atlas Foundation (HAF), with local and international partners, launched a dynamic, multidimensional relief and recovery program to address the needs of affected communities. The earthquake resulted in the loss of over 2,000 lives and caused significant damage to buildings and infrastructure. To date, the program has facilitated the delivery of essential aid, including water, food, clothing, bedding and tents, as well as intermediate shelters, group-based psychosocial empowerment workshops, as well as the reconstruction of road, water and agricultural infrastructure. 

Whilst communities continue to grieve the tragic loss of life and destruction of years of work, there is a shared focus on rebuilding. Field visits and discussions with community members revealed the need to rebuild damaged infrastructure to support individual health and well-being, the reestablishment of agricultural practices, and the livelihoods of the affected communities. From overwhelming loss has come opportunities to build back better; to realize projects that for years, if not decades, have been priorities for these communities. Leveraging over two decades of experience in community-led development in rural communities across Morocco, the broader program is implementing several projects focused on rehabilitating water infrastructure and agricultural terraces. This includes the proposed construction of a water basin, 16 agricultural terraces, and supporting infrastructure, within Missour village within the Tidili municipality, of the Taroudant province.

Project Objectives

The project is committed to improving the living conditions and rebuilding the livelihoods of earthquake-affected communities. It aims to:

1. Support community-led development.
2. Provide access to water for irrigation and agricultural purposes.
3. Support reestablishment of agricultural practices, including tree planting.
4. Promote sustainable practices.

The project will result in the construction of a water basin (for irrigation), sixteen agricultural terraces and supporting infrastructure including a water turbine, piping and fencing. This will expand capacity for tree planting and cultivation of fruit and nut trees (including walnut, almond, cherry, plum, apricot, pear, quince, fig, and prickly pear), as well as medicinal herbs (including mint, verbena, sage, rosemary, thyme, and lavender). Cultivating these native plants on terraced landscapes will provide the community with new streams of income and help them develop strong, resilient, and sustainable agricultural practices and food systems.

Project Location

Missour village is located within the Tidili municipality, in the Taroudant province. Missour is in an area of the High Atlas Mountains that is particularly susceptible to harsh weather, cold winters and hot summers. The village comprises 33 families (households) with a population of some 165 individuals. The predominant industry (and income) is agriculture. 

Project Activities

HAF staff visited the village on 20 February 2024, and met with community members to discuss the project scope. This is outlined below.

Water basin

The proposed water basin has a capacity of 144 kiloliters (kL), measuring 12m (length) by 6m (width) and 2m (depth). In response to water scarcity concerns during the summer season, the community of Missour is proposing to install a water turbine located in the existing river to power the pump at the water basin. This initiative aims to provide a sustainable solution for electricity generation and water distribution to the terraces.

Agricultural terraces

The location of the sixteen agricultural terraces was chosen due to the proximity of an existing water basin. The terraces are proposed below and to the left of the basin. A breakdown of the proposed terraces is provided in the table below. Furthermore, a fence will be erected to prevent animals and goats from accessing the terraces, consisting of 400 meters of fence with a height of 1.5 meters, supported by 133 poles.

Piping

In addition, 1,450m of piping is proposed. Comprising 750m of piping to convey water from the valley to the new basin, 200m of piping (with a diameter of 75mm) to distribute water from the basin to the terraces, and 500m of piping for drip irrigation. 

Partner Contribution

As part of the broader project within Missour, it is proposed that the funding generously offered by the Austrian Embassy will be allocated to the construction of the agricultural terraces. It is anticipated that this component will cost 74,850 Moroccan Dirhams (MAD). A breakdown of anticipated costs, including labor and tool costs, is provided below. To complete the terrace component of the project, it will take approximately fifteen workers specialized in this type of construction. Each terrace is anticipated to be completed within three days. The transportation of soil and organic fertilizer to the terraces is estimated to take twelve working days.

Conclusion

When the earthquake struck on 8 September 2023, the High Atlas Mountain communities experienced unprecedented shock. As outlined above, from the overwhelming loss has come opportunities to build back better; to realize projects which improve the lives and livelihoods of impacted communities. The community of Missour aspires to leverage the proposed project to support the reestablishment and enhancement of agricultural practices, including new tree planting, providing new forms of income as well as an overall healthy and productive community. HAF aims to empower communities to take ownership of these projects, ensuring their long-term sustainability. We sincerely thank the Austrian Embassy for their interest and ongoing support of HAF´s efforts. This partnership has the potential to support and further empower the community of Missour.