1

Prepared by :BELGOUZI Marouane

GHARIB Karim
Supervised by: TOUHTOU Rachid
 2

Plan
I. NIHD
1.What is NIHD ?; Why NIHD ?
2.Priority Programs
3.Values and Methods
II. The example of :“ARGAN cooperatives”
1. Introducing the Argan tree
2. The value of Argan Oil
3. Economic Impact: labeling with the region of origin
4. Argan oil : an impetus for human development
5. Sustainable development
III. Conclusion
 3

NIHD
Launched on May 16, 2005:

“The Initiative … [is] an innovating approach and a method of

action allying ambition, realism and efficiency …achieved
through practical, well defined and integrated programs.”
Excerpts from the Speech of
His Majesty King Mohammed VI
on May 18th, 2005.
 4

What is NIHD ?
A five years, 10 billion Dirham , global, innovative vision of human
development whose main characteristics are:

 Micro scale, bottom up designed development projects (participation);

 Explicit particular target groups (the rural poor, the urban excluded, the
vulnerable, with special needs), that is specificity;

 Explicit priorities, namely Human development related areas (access to

health and education services ; income generating activities (IGA);)

 An initiative parallel to, yet synergetic with the normative, conventional

public policies actions;
 5

Why NIHD ?

 During the past 50 years, there has been massive

conventional governmental efforts: on an average
basis, over 50% of State expenditures have been
allocated to social sectors : health, education,
social housing, rural development, etc.

 Many achievements; yet many failures too; in

particular, social deficits persisted and social
indicators remained poor…
 6

3. Values and methods

NIHD values

 HD, citizenship, and dignity;

 Participation, partnership, and integration;
 Good governance: transparency, effectiveness, and
evaluation;
2. PRIORITY PROGRAMS
1. Rural poverty alleviation
 360 rural communes among the poorest :
 Health, Education, Basic Equipment, and IGA;

2. Urban exclusion
 250 urban neighbourhoods
 Health, Education, Basic Equipment, and IGA;
 Social and cultural activities

3. Vulnerability
 Target groups : the disabled, the elderly, Children, women in hardship, etc.
 Leadership: Civil Society and Social departments;

4. Multi purpose, transversal program

 Competitive projects for NGOs
 Funding based on relevance, feasibility, and immediate measurable HD
results.
 8

Implementation: the “territorial, Commune

based approach”

 Prioritization and commune based strategic planning;

 Supervision by the Wali/Governor
 Flexible Financial procedures and Post hoc Financial
Control;
 9

II. The example of :“ARGAN

cooperatives”
 10

1. Introducing the argan tree

• The argan tree is unique in Morocco where it
makes the 2nd largest forest in the country and
has been a part of the landscape for many
centuries.

• There are over 20 million trees covering an area

of 830.000 hectares .

• The trees are known to live at least 250 years. Argan forest in the anti-atlas mountains

• They require little from the soil.

• They are very resistant to desert-like conditions,

survive temperatures ranging from 3°C to 50 °C
and rainfalls as low as 120 to 200 mm per year.

• They can grow at altitudes up to 1500 meters.

• They are the last barrier against the desert.

Argan tree on the desert border

 11

Argan Forest : A Reserve of the Biosphere

for UNESCO and the Moroccan kingdom
(1998)

Argan forest
 12

The Argan tree

 It is similar in appearance to the
olive,

 it changes color from green to

yellow to brown as it ripens

 it takes 2 years to mature.

 it has a strong hull containing

from 1-3 kernels
The Argan tree: the tree of
multiple uses
Argan tree

Firewood Fruit Leaves

Growth
Hulls Pulp
Kernel Press cake

Oil
 14

The Argan tree : its place in

rural society
 Over 2 millions people depend
on the Argan tree for their
subsistance with over 1 million
of them are from the
countryside.

 Over 20 millions workdays are

generated by the various
aspects of the process of which
7.5 millions involve the
extraction of the oil, a task
primarly accomplished by
women.
 15

2. The value of Argan Oil

 Various topics of research are being undertaken :
 Reverse the trends: a program to plant trees that is
closely linked to the ecological and economic
development plans of Morocco.
 Provide consumers with confidence in the product
by improving the technology to extract the oil;
improving it’s quality and educating consumers on
it’s many uses and attributes.

Improve the packaging

 16

Increase the value of argan oil : Improving its method of

extraction
 17

The value of Argan oil in traditional

medicine
 Protects and nourishes the skin
 Slows the effect of aging on the skin and rejuvenates the tissues.
 Strengthens broken nails and gives back vitality to damaged hair.
 Treats juvenile acne and chickenpox scares
 Prevents arteriosclerosis (because of its low cholesterol level).
 Eases the joint pain associated with rheumatism.
 Treats the irritation caused by eczema, chapped or cracked skin
and burn sites.
 Can reduce the risk of miscarriage and stimulate the production of
sperm.
 Can stimulate brain capacity.
 18

Argan oil – Interest in cosmetology

Anti-aging
Moisterer
Skin regenerating
 19

Scientific Impact
 Improvement of the extraction technology,
 Increase the effective life of the oil from 6 to 24 months.
 Improve marketing techniques
 Develop fraud detection procedures.
 Better understand the impact of geography on the chemical composition
of Argan Oil
 What, if any, changes in tastes occur when nuts previously eaten by goats
are used.
 Study of the low cholesterol and low lipid properties of the oil as a
preventive effect against cardiovascular diseases.
 Study the hydrating, regenerative and restructuring properties of the oil.
 .Study Argan oil’s anti-oxidative properties.
20
 21

3. Economic growth: Research

and action

Creation of cooperatives to improve the social and financial life of

rural women.
 22

Economic Impact of the

project
 Price of a liter of Argan oil has risen from 3 euros in 1996 to
30 euros in 2008.
 The amount paid to the producers is calculated so as to provide
them with a decent wage.
 The amount given to the workers represents 50% of the export
price.
 23

Economic Impact: labeling with

the region of origin (I.G)
 Protection of Argan oil under «Geographique Indication » permits :
 The use of the name « Argan Oil » or « Argan » only for those products
coming from southern Morocco and produced according to the
established standards;
 The organization of a stream of commerce;
 Add value to the rural areas where Argan oil is grown and processed
(increase the value of the product at the time of sale, greater revenues
and profits to the producers, larger export markets and improvement in
the equipment required to produce the high quality oil);
 Add value to the growing areas from the development of ecotourism,
such as tastings, restaurants, rental accommodation, visits to the
cooperatives etc.
 24

4. Argan oil : an impetus for human development

The socio-economic Impact

 Organization of the production and the marketing of the products.

 Providing more direct access to markets that offer greater profitability than
those locally.
 Enhance the lives for women by improving their standard of living.
 Assisting vulnerable and marginalized women to live their lives with more
dignity.
 Improve their level of competance and their place in society.
 Women will regain the ability to make decisions; to manage their money
and invest in their future and the education of their children.
 The cooperative provides workers with a sense of security and stability. It
provides financial support for the members as well as between the
different structures.
 25

 The working conditions are improved and social links are strengthened.

 Access to medical care and social services are available.

 The cooperative underwrites the projects and obtains the financing.

 A new generation of organizational structure will be created. The cooperatives are

Professional Associations which protect the interests of it’s members, negotiate with
other producers and work with all those in the chain to increase and improve the
image of Argan Oil.

 The cooperatives will be closely involved in definining all the standards used in the
production and marketing of Argan Oil.

 The cooperatives will actively participate in the developement of their community

and will provide effective leadership.
 26

The Argan Tree: A tool sustainable human development

The future of rural women as a result of training and literacy.

Training Modules :

Education in extraction technology.

Education in the legal constitution of the co-operative ;
Education in food safety including traceing of products to original source;
Development of motivational and incentive programs and management development ;
Development of an environmental education program.

General literacy training

Programs covering health, civic and religious responsabilities and issues, concerning the
environment, management of small projects as well as an understanding of the operation
of cooperatives.
 27

Learning to write
Learning to read
 28

Regional Development

Promotion of regional tourism : The Tamanar cooperative is visited on average by

100 tourists per day.

Encourage more media interest in the region.

To date programmes have been shown on:
2ème et 3ème chaînes françaises, TV5,
chaîne canadienne TVA, 2ème chaîne marocaine,
une chaîne italienne et une chaîne Américaine, Ushuaia, National Géographique)

Follow-up on the interest being shown in Argan Oil by pharmaceutical and

cosmetic companies in Europe and America.
 29

5. Sustainable development

As a result of the opening of new markets and the consequent increase in the
price of Argan Oil, local communities are increasing their willingness to
engage in sustainable farming.

The increase in the number of trees in public nursaries is growing

exponentially.

Several communities have hired wardens to protect their Argan forests.

The actions of the cooperatives will now be reinforced and completed by

starting a concerted process to restore, protect and create a sustainable
management program for each natural area.
 30

Evolution of the regenerative argan forest programs.

In 2007, the area planted was 33 times higher than in 2000.
 31

Conclusion
 32

Thank you