Let there be water in Tizi n'Oucheg!, Morocco
Project data
Tizi n'OuchegSustainable management
Ecofund e.V.
05.11.2023
17765 €
of 15000 € Target AmountSummary
The project to protect the water resources is the second collaboration between Ecofund and the Association of Tizi n’Oucheg: during the last 3 years, Ecofund has contributed to reforesting the mountainsides around the village: in total 10,000 fruit trees were planted allowing to protect the land against erosion (for example landslides) and to empower Tizi n'Oucheg inhabitants, who can process and sell the fruits.
For more information on the reforestation project “Plant your tree in Tizi n’Oucheg!” please click here >>
For several years now, Morocco has been affected by extreme variability in rainfall leading to droughts. Adding to this is an ever-increasing demand for water. According to World Bank studies, the result is a significant reduction since 1980 of surface water (-20%) and groundwater (-25%).
The village of Tizi N'Oucheg is not spared from this evolution, therefore the villagers wish to protect their water sources from overexploitation by improving their irrigation system for arable land.
Water from rain and melting snow is collected from three sources called "Amanouz", "Erzri Nouarioul", and "Oualfi", and stored in three large reservoirs located on the mountainside. These reservoirs are interconnected by open canals (see pictures) serving an irrigation system for the village plots, on which all local consumption is produced: cereals (barley), vegetables (peas, potatoes, onions, beans, carrots and turnips) as well as fruits (nuts, figs and prickly pears).
This traditional irrigation system in Morocco with open channels is no longer suitable for today's situation of water scarcity, as it causes water loss through evaporation.
Currently, due to drought and failures of the irrigation system over the years, 45% of the land is no longer exploited, especially during the season from May to November.
Therefore, the villagers wish to replace the open channels of the 3-basin interconnection system with buried polythene pipes. They will proceed in phases depending on the availability of funds raised:
First, the channel between source no. 2 “Erzri” and source no. 3 “Oualfi” will be replaced, the cost of purchasing pipes and fittings being estimated at around 3,000 euros.
Then, depending on the availability of the funds raised, the other two channels will be replaced, for which the costs for the purchase of pipes and fittings are estimated at around 6,000 euros respectively.
Once all three channels will have been replaced by a pipe system, the villagers estimate that up to 80% of the land no longer exploited today due to lack of water can be recovered.
Rachid Mandili and the Tizi n'Oucheg Development Association are the project’s Champions. Rachid is not only the face of autonomous community development in Morocco. This 40-something-year-old Berber has an infectious passion, an undaunting optimism, and shares his vision of an autonomous development-worthy village with his family, neighbours and the Tizi n'Oucheg community.
With Ecofund, Rachid is once again committed to safeguarding the natural water sources of Tizi n'Oucheg and thus the source of life of his village in the High Atlas.
How will your donation help the project?
Your donation will make it possible to buy and transport the equipment to the village of Tizi N'Oucheg. The villagers will be responsible for laying and interconnecting the pipes. Their labor is their own contribution to the project.
The “Let’s there be water in Tizi n’Oucheg!” project contributes to the preservation of the natural and traditional environment. Its positive socio-economic and environmental impact is obvious. It is fully integrated into the socio-economic development system of the Douar (group of inhabitants) of Tizi n'Oucheg.
Like the previous project “Plant your tree in Tizi n’Oucheg!” it is also a pilot project, for the region, and an inspiration to surrounding villages to protect their sources of life.
When you contribute to this project as an Ecofunder, you will be warmly welcomed by Rachid and his team at the village lodge. You will be shown the sites of the water sources and the interconnection channels that you have helped to fund. If you do not get the opportunity to go on an excursion to Tizi n'Oucheg and discover its beautiful mountainous landscapes, we will, of course, keep you informed about the progress of the project, as it unfolds, on our platform.
Thank you for your donation.
Ecopartner for Let there be water in Tizi n'Oucheg!
Updates
05.11.2023 › Projectnews from « Let there be water in Tizi n’Oucheg!”
We are happy to learn that the villagers of Tizi n'Oucheg do not report any human loss except material damage following the powerful earthquake, which struck Morocco on the night of Friday, September 8.
Also, we are happy to confirm you that the water resources preservation project “Let there be water in Tizi n’Oucheg!” did not suffer any damage from the earthquake, although the village of Tizi n'Oucheg is located only a few kilometers from the earthquake’s epicenter.
Indeed, after the launch of the project well before the earthquake, thanks to your donations, the ATND Association together with the villagers of Tizi n'Oucheg was able to implement the first phase of the project concerning the open water channel between the mountain water sources "Erzri" and “Oualfi”.
Thanks to your donations, polythene pipes were purchased and transported to the village of Tizi n’Oucheg. The villagers carried the pipes up the mountainside. Then the villagers dug a channel to bury the pipes. Finally, the pipes were connected and buried.
From now on, the water in the channel between the the mountain water sources “Erzri” and “Oualfi” springs will not be lost due to evaporation and will be used to recover land currently unexploited due to lack of water during the dry season.
Together, with Rachid, his association and the villagers of Tizi n’Oucheg, we thank you very much for your donations which made it possible to carry out this first phase of the project to preserve mountain water sources.
We are very happy to announce that Germany through its Embassy in Morocco will contribute 13,500 euro to the project, in order to enable the completion of the two remaining phases which concern the 2 other still open channels between the mountain water sources.
A big THANK YOU to the German Ecofunders for this vital support to the villagers of Tizi n'Oucheg!
Also, if you still wish to aid the victims of the earthquake in Morocco, you can make a donation via our Ecofund platform to the Tizi n'Oucheg Development Association (ATND) which will be responsible for its coordination and its distribution.
15.09.2023 › Tizi n'Oucheg following the earthquake in Morocco
It is with immense sadness that we learned of the impact of the powerful earthquake which struck Morocco on the night of Friday September 8. Its epicenter was located in the province of Al Haouz, 70km southwest of Marrakech in the High Atlas Mountains, a massif with many isolated villages.
We would like to express our sincere condolences to all the families affected by this tragic earthquake.
We express our solidarity and support to the Moroccan population and in particular to our friends and partners in the Tizi n’Oucheg Development Association (ATND) project.
The village of Tizi n'Oucheg is located southeast of Marrakech in the Ourika valley, only a few kilometers from the earthquake’s epicenter.
Fortunately, according to the ATND Association, the villagers of Tizi n'Oucheg do not report any human losses except material damage.
On the other hand, in neighboring villages, several deaths as well as considerable material damage were recorded. In total, according to ATND's assessment, still provisional as of today, in neighboring villages in the Seti Fada community in Al Haouz province, 23 people died, 142 houses were completely damaged by the earthquake.
From the first moment after this terrible earthquake, the ATND Association and all the villagers of Tizi n'Oucheg provided aid to their neighboring villages in the Seti Fada community: in particular food, tents and mattresses. This emergency aid is vital for families affected by the earthquake, in order to prepare for winter while waiting for the reconstruction of their homes thanks to goverment aid.
If you wish to contribute to this emergency aid to victims of the earthquake in Morocco, you can make a donation via our Ecofund platform to the Tizi n'Oucheg Development Association (ATND) which will be responsible for its coordination and its distribution.
Project data
Tizi n'OuchegSustainable management
Ecofund e.V.
05.11.2023
17765 €
of 15000 € Target AmountRecent Ecoblogs
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