Project profile — Economic Empowerment of Women in Morocco’s Argan Sector

The expected results of this project include: (1) a reduction in gender bias in the argan sector; (2) empowered women’s entrepreneurship in the sustainable development of argan; and (3) a reduction in cultural and social attitudes affecting women’s economic decision-making in the argan sector.

Results achieved as of March 2022 include : (1) conducted an awareness campaign involving the organization of 199 workshops. The workshops welcomed 8,406 beneficiaries, of which 3,928 were women and 4,478 were men, i.e. a female participation rate of 47%; (2) implemented a soft skills program. This is a program of support and capacity building that has welcomed 3,000 members of cooperatives; (3) organized 71 workshops on financial education which benefited 1,071 members of 72 cooperatives; (4) set up a geographic information system on the predictability of the harvest of argan fruits; (5) finalized the last report of the international market study for the export of argan oil products; (6) accompanied 156 cooperatives for certification to international standards; (7) raised awareness of 1,500 members of cooperatives on forms of violence against women; and (8) covered the cost associated with the renewal of private health insurance for 1,450 women members of 97 cooperatives. The insurance includes medical care and maternity benefits.