In 2008, the Green Morocco Plan made agriculture a national priority. In some mountain areas, it has contributed to the conversion of cereal lands into tree plantations (olives, almonds, figs, apples …). These reconversions have a double objective: to give farmers the opportunity to access higher income production and to contribute to climate change adaptation (limitation of soil erosion, carbon sequestration …). The plantations nevertheless modify the traditional production systems based on cereals, legumes and small ruminant livestock.

In Taza district, Taza province (Middle Atlas), almond trees have been planted since 2016-2017 in many cereals and legumes lands. The almonds’ production and the practice of arboriculture are recent for the farmers of the region. The support that farmers have received remains insufficient. Due to a lack of knowledge of the technical itinerary, farmers intervene very little in their orchards. Almond production is low as well as the income they get from it.

In this context, Fert has been supporting Taza farmers since 2021 in the transformation of their farms and their performance improvement.