helping nomadic and semi-nomadic people of Tafraout

The high valley of Tafraout in the Jbel Bani Mountains with its widely scattered farmsteads is around two hours’ drive from Zagora. The inhabitants of Tafraout have built two roads through the valley in stages over the last few years, supported by the state with materials. Electricity has only been available since 2016. Depending on where you live in Tafraout, there is more or less water, as the valley is criss-crossed by an underground water vein like a river. As a result, the wells vary in depth, e.g. approx. 140 metres at the new nomadic school, which is located near the entrance to the valley. When required, the residents either pump water into an open container a few hundred metres from the house or a water pipe runs close to the house. Women and children carry many canisters of water into their homes every day. There are hardly any toilets or showers. In addition to gas, they also use wood, which they collect on their daily hikes, for cooking. The proceeds from the sale of watermelons were obviously not invested in improving the housing situation.

The nomads in the mountains draw water, if available, from water holes or walk with a donkey to a well further away. Laundry is also washed there.

Since around 2012/13 agriculture in the Tafraout Valley has experienced rapid growth with support from the state in the form of water reservoirs and pumping stations. The cultivation of watermelons has particularly thrived in the region, with the melon fields expanding across the high valley up to the mountain slopes. Many of the pumps used for irrigation are solar-powered during the day and switched to gas at night. Watermelons have become the primary crop in the area, being the first to ripen in this part of Morocco. Even former nomads have purchased land and joined in watermelon cultivation. However, the negative consequences of this boom are becoming evident as the oversupply of watermelons has led to a drop in income for farmers and some have fallen into debt. To address this, the government has implemented policies such as limiting the area allocated for watermelon cultivation to one hectare per family and prohibiting the sale or leasing of land to investors. Furthermore, in 2022, other crops such as grain, vegetables and henna fields have also been observed in the region.

A first alternative to melon cultivation is offered by the medicinal plants project, which is supported by the Hand in Hand Fund of the “Deutsche Umwelthilfe e.V.” https://www.duh.de/zielgruppen/internationales/hand-in-hand-fonds/hand-in-hand-fonds-foerderprojekte/.v

Hafid Benyachou advises the nomads and actively helps them to represent their interests outside the desert. Together with the inhabitants of Tafraout, he founded the association

“Association Akabar for Sustainable Development and Culture – الثقافة و للتنمية أكابار جمعية” 

Hafid Benyachou and the nomads of the Association Akabar have actively supported the nomads of the Bouhjab area in establishing an independent nomad association, which, like the Association Akabar, regulates its own affairs and contacts authorities and other bodies outside the desert: “Association of Nomads Cavaran for Development in the Desert. People of Bouhjab-Elbayd”