Al-Madania Cooperative in Tafilalet, a model of adaptation to climate change

Errashidia, 09/11/2016 (MAP), The Al-Madania Cooperative in Ksar Ashurya, in the rural commune of Fazna in Errashidia, which is a vulnerable zone threatened by climate change due to its geographical location, is a model of local governance and adaptation to climate mutations thanks to environmental projects, an innovative approach and an integrated agricultural experience seeking to adapt to the climate situation in the Tafilalet Oases.

Like other communes in Tafilalet, the village of Fazna is has a vulnerable location impacted by climate change, the degradation of the vegetation cover and the irrational use of land. These factors contribute to the increase of desertification and the disappearance of the oasis heritage.

The over-exploitation of such vital resources, especially water and land, was behind the mobilization of efforts and local initiatives with the aim of weathering the human and climate impact on oases.

The year 2005 marked the inception of the agricultural cooperative “Al-Madania”, a project covering an area of 50 ha and carried out in partnership with the program “Oasis Tafilalet”, with the aim of addressing the challenges of the climate, the environment and social situation, and setting up a cooperative agricultural model to spur sustainable socio-economic dynamics.

In view of solving the problem related to the scarcity of surface water and groundwater and to achieve sustainable development in oasis areas, the Al-Madania cooperative has used means to ensure a better use of water resources through the rational usage of khattaras water via the drip system, the use of renewable energy for water pumping such as wind and solar energy in order to reduce production costs and the development of the drip irrigation technique.