Support for heritage and expertise of the women of the Arganeraie Biosphere Reserve (ABR) in Morocco

PROJECT UPDATE

Project Overview

This initiative supported the Government of Morocco with the preservation and promotion of the heritage and expertise of women in the Arganeraie Biosphere Reserve (RBA) in Morocco.

Project Profile

The Technical Assistance Partnership – Expert Deployment Mechanism (TAP-EDM), with Canadian expert Khaddouj Benkhadra, worked in collaboration with the Government of Morocco and the National Agency to develop Oasis Areas and the Argan Tree (ANDZOA) through its National Argan Tree Centre (NATC) to support the heritage and expertise of the women of the Arganeraie Biosphere Reserve (ABR) in Morocco.

While a substantial body of knowledge about ABR and the argan tree sector exists, it remains largely inaccessible. This initiative aims to establish a knowledge management system, ensuring easy access to research outcomes related to ABR and the argan tree sector for professionals, scientists, and the public.

Khaddouj assisted in collecting, structuring, and organizing data, culminating in the design and development of the knowledge management system.

Key Deliverables

  1. Capacity Support and Training
  •   Delivered platform launch and training sessions
  1. Technical Support and Knowledge Products
  • Completed a benchmarking exercise
  • Delivered the BETA version of the platform
  • Developed a knowledge management platform
  • Designed the governance framework

Project Outcomes and Lessons Learned

The initiative improved the capacity of ANDZOA to design and manage a knowledge management system.A key lesson learned is that fostering north–south partnerships provides valuable opportunities for cross-learning and leveraging complementary strengths. Collaborative approaches can generate innovative solutions that enhance functionality and improve the experience for end users.

Direct Project Reach:

  • 20 participants engaged through activities conducted and project deliverables

Public Engagement (Canada):

  • 143 Canadians reached through outreach and engagement activities

Public Engagement Activities:

Experts