Enabling poor rural people
to overcome poverty



Table 1 | 2 | 3a | 3b | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17a | 17b | 17c | 18

Table 1: Land use, Oujda Province

Rangeland

Forest

Cultivable

Uncultivable

44.7%

20%

18.7% (of which 5.8% irrigated)

17%

Table 2: Population and infrastructure

Elhouafi

Taghilast

Oulad Lfqir

Population (1994) 94 (16 households) 650 inhabitants (72 households) 1 311 (173 households)
Distances 20 km from the town of Berkane; 3 km from the rural commune of Taforalt 33 km from the rural commune of Laayoune; 100 km from the town of Oujda 2 km from Malqa Elouidane and 33 km from the commune of Taourirt
Electricity No No No
Health centre Taforalt (at 3 km) Laayoune (at 33 km) Taourirt (33 km)
Administrative offices Taforalt Laayoune Taourirt
Souk Once a week in Taforalt Once a week in Laayoune Once a week in Malqa Elouidane and once a week in Taourirt
School None in village; primary school in Taforalt Primary school in village (25 pupils) Primary school in village (105 pupils)
Veterinary services None within reasonable distance None within reasonable distance None within reasonable distance

Table 3a: Natural resources – Elhouafi

Resources

Forest

Soil

Trees: olive and almond

Water

Type of change - Trees are not as green as they once were

- Trees are not so leafy

- Less edible grasses

- Fewer wild animals

- Fissures

- Soil is dry

- Crops do not grow as quickly

Improvement (saplings provided by the Ministry of Agriculture - Scarce

- Some improvement recently (boreholes dug by the Ministry of Agriculture)

Causes Drought Drought Saplings provided by the Ministry of Agriculture Boreholes dug by the Ministry of Agriculture



Table 3b: Natural resources – Taghilast

Resources

Alfalfa grass

Forest

Rosemary

Soil

Mineral resources

Type of change Alfalfa grass is no longer green; it is dry - Forest is degraded

- Ground is bare

- There are no more lions

- It has become dry

- Distillery has been closed

- Once it was more fertile, and yields were higher - Iron mine used to employ several men from the village; it has now been closed
Causes Drought (Jafaf) Drought - Drought

- Closure of distillery owing to lack of water

- Drought, lack of wells/boreholes - Mine closed owing to lack of water

Table 4: Oulad Lfqir – Pollution of the River Oued

Causes

Signs

Consequences

Olive oil factories in Taourirt dump waste into city sewers, which then release the waste into the river (Oued za) River water is frothy and has a bad smell (the water is "rotten").

One can see olive pips floating on the river

Water sources get clogged up by waste

After irrigation the soil is covered by an acid froth and solid waste

Crops have changed color; they are yellow, not green as before

Yields have decreased

Luzern doesn’t grow as high as it used to

There is less food because of the lower yields

Animals that drink water from the canal fall ill

Bathing or washing in the canal causes skin problems

Table 5: Water and fuel

 

Elhouafi

Taghilast

Oulad Lfqir

Water Two wells: one for animals/laundry; one for humans (dug by Ministry of Agriculture); there used to be a river passing through the douar, which is now dry Three wells: one is dry; one is for animals/laundry; one is for humans (little water); animals are also watered in Tanzert (3 km); men and women will "do the round of the wells" if necessary. Wells and sources in village (polluted); animals have to be watered in Melqa El and Oued Maauluya
Fuel Mainly wood, followed by butane gas, olive pips, almond husks, straw, cowdung, charcoal Mainly wood, followed by butane gas and alfalfa grass Olive branches (there is no forest nearby) and butane gas

Table 6: Off-farm occupations/sources of income - Elhouafi (share of total households)

No other occupation

Self-employed

Fqih4

Wage-earner

Supported by other households

5/16

3/165

3/16

4/16

1/16

Table 7: Type of assets (share of households

Cultivable land (owned or sharecropped Cattle Sheep Goats Donkeys Poultry Other Sources of Income
Elhouafi

12/16

4/16

9/16

4/16

12/16

13/16

11/16 (off-farm activity: self-employed or wage-earner)
Taghilast

14/15

4/15

12/15

14/15

13/15

14/15 (collection of rosemary, alfalfa-carpet-making; one person sells medicinal plants)
Oulad L.

14/14

8/14

12/14

4/14

12/14

14/14

5/14 (for occupations see Table 6)

Table 8 - Distribution of land

Landless households6

Rainfed land

Irrigated land

Average size

Min.

Max.

Average size

Min.

Max.

Elhouafi7

4/16

7.1

2

45.5

Taghilast8

1/15

5.8

2

20

Oulad Lfqir9

4.8

2.9

0.5

25

Table 9: Crops grown (share of households)

Crop

Number of households that cultivate the crop

Elhouafi

Taghilast

Oulad Lfqir

Soft wheat

2/13

8/14

9/14

Durum wheat

8/13

1/14

8/14

Barley

13/13

13/14

7/14

Oats

1/13

Fava beans

13/13

3/14

Chickpeas

2/13

Lentils

8/13

Kikha

2/13

Beans

3/13

Luzern

11/14

Potatoes

1/13

Melon

7/14

Fenugreek
Tomato

3/14

Niora

2/14

Aubergine

2/14

Table 10: Tree cultivation

Type of tree

Elhouafi

Taghilast

Oulad Lfqir

Households that own

Number of trees

Households that own

Number of trees

Households that own

Number of trees

Fig

8/16

33(min. 2, max. 10)

1/14

3

3/14

17 (min. 3, max. 10)

Olive

12/16

520 (min. 3, max. 130

13/14

800 (min. 4, max. 200)

Almond

7/16

208 (min. 2, max 50)

6/14

28

Apricot

2/14

12 (min. 2, max. 10)

Apple

1/16

10

Table 11: Livestock per household

Cattle

Sheep

Goats

Donkeys

Poultry

Avg.

Min.

Max.

Avg.

Min.

Max.

Avg.

Min.

Max.

Avg.

Min.

Max.

Avg.

Min.

Max.

Elhouafi

1

1

1

7

2

20

4

2

10

2.3

1

5

6

2

20

Taghilast

5

4

30

22

10

35

2.1

1

4

4

2

10

Oulad Lfqir

1.7

1

4

47.5 10

12

100

10

6

10 11

2

1

4

8

3

20

Table 12: Division of labour by age and sex

Activity

Elhouafi

Taghilast

Oulad Lfqir

"Reproductive" (cooking, house cleaning, care of children) W, G W, G W, G
Weaving W W W
Fetching water W, G, B W, G, B, M (when far from village) G, B
Collecting fuel wood W, G, B W, G, B B
Collecting alfalfa grass W W
Collecting rosemary W
Cultivation M, B M, B M, B
Preparing meals for men in fields W, G W, G W, G
Selecting seed from harvest W M M
Picking fruit W, G, B W, G, B B
Processing crops and storing in sacks or cans W W W
Caring for livestock in the home12 W, B, G W, B, G W, B, G
Grazing livestock W, G (in douar), B M, B M, B
Watering livestock W, G (in douar). B (outside douar) M, B M, B
Raising poultry W W W
Making enclosures/shelters out of branches M, W M, W
Making stables out of cement M M M
Housebuilding (cement) M M M
Putting up/taking down tents W W

M = men, W = women, B = boys, G = girls.

Table 13: Mobility of women

Elhouafi

Taghilast13

Oulad Lfqir

Type of activity Reg.* Occ.* Never Reg. Occ. Never Reg. Occ. Never
Collecting wood In forest near douar In forest near douar x
Collecting water Within the douar Near douar As far as Tanzert (3 km) x
Agricultural activities14 Within the douar As far as Matrouh (10 km) x
Herding livestock Within the douar Near douar x
Going to the souk X x x
Going to the hammam (public bath) x x x
Visiting neighbours Within the douar x x
Visiting relatives Within the douar x x
Health centre Taforalt 3 km Laayoune 33 km Taourirt 30 km

* Reg. = regularly; Occ. = occasionally.

Table 14: Credit (dirhams)

Loans from CNCA15

Informal borrowing

Share of households

Share of households repaying

Share of households

Share of households repaying

Elhouafi

4/16

¼

2/16

none

Taghilast

4/15

¼

2/15

none

Oulad Lfqir

9/14

1/14 entirely,1/14 partly

average amount

min.

max.

average amount

min.

max.

Elhouafi

4 250

3 000

8 000

700

700

700

Taghilast

11 625

5 000

31 000

135

70

200

Oulad Lfqir

28 000

4 000

60 000

Table 15: Use of CNCA loans (share of households)

Purchase of livestock/fodder

Purchase inputs

Purchase land

Buy food

Other personal reasons

11/17

4/17

1/1716

1/1717

1/17

Table 16 – Problems identified by men and women

Elhouafi

Taghilast

Oulad Lfqir

Men Women Men Women Men Women

1) water

1) water 1) distance from health centre 1) distance from health centre 1) pollution of the river Three main problems, in the following order:
2) the state of the road 2) education of girls 2) lack of water 2) lack of water 2) credit (high interest rates, inability to repay) 1) pollution of the river
3) unemployment of the young 3) unemployment of the young 3) distance from admin. offices 3) the forest guards 3) lack of electricity 2) lack of a health centre
4) electricity 4) electricity 4) transport and the state of the road 4) education of children 4) middlemen 3) lack of electricity
5) education of children 5) distance from health centre 5) distance from souk 5) transport and the state of the road 5) lack of a vet  
6) distance from health centre 6) the state of the road 6) lack of electricity 6) lack of electricity 6) distance from admin. offices  
7) veterinary care   7) education of children   7) distance from health centre  
    8) the forest guards   8) drought  

Table 17a: Problems and solutions - Elhouafi

Problem

Cause

Consequences

What do people do to solve the problem

What should the state do?

Water No pump Can’t grow vegetables Nothing Should install a pumping station
Electricity Douar not electrified Use candles and gas Should electrify the douar
Road Road from village to Taforalt not tarmacked People take a short cut through the forest; it is dangerous for young girls to cross the forest Nothing Build 1.5 km of tarmacked road
Youth unemployment No training; no work in the douar Young migrate or do nothing They seek wage labour Set up a training centre
Health centre Health centre is in Taforalt It is difficult to deal with emergencies They pray to God to assist the person who has fallen ill Build a health centre not far from the douar
Veterinary care There is no vet in Taforalt Animals are not treated and therefore die Nothing Vet in Taforalt
Education of children School is 3 km from the douar Girls do not go to school because they have to cross the forest Girls are not sent to school Build a road (to avoid having to cross the forest) or a school near the douar

Table 17b: Problems and solutions - Taghilast

Problem

How should it be solved

Community contribution

Clinic is too distant

State should build one nearer the village

None; the state which should build the clinic

Water

State should help us to dig the wells

Villagers would provide labour

Road

State should open and tarmac the 13 km of intermixed road

Villagers would provide labour

Administrative offices are too distant

Seat of the qaidat should be nearer to the village

None; this is an issue which concerns the state

Harassment by forest guards

State should allow us to use the forest

People could be mobilized to plant trees

Education of children

State should help us to buy school supplies, control teachers and improve their living conditions

None

Electricity

state should provide the main installation

Households would pay to connect the main line to their homes

Table 17c: Problems and solutions - Oulad Lfqir

Problem

Cause

Consequences

What do people do to solve the problem?

What should the State do?

Pollution of the river Waste in river from sewers of Taourirt Low yields; health hazards for humans and animals Avoid using polluted water/watering animals elsewhere Ensure that waste is deposited elsewhere; the solution is in the hands of the local authorities
Agricultural credit Interest rates too high/farmers become indebted Inability of most to repay/fear of investing Either none, or delaying repayment CNCA should lower interest rates
Lack of electricity State has not thought of electrifying the village Using gas, which costs as much as electricity/no agro-processing facilities Lighting homes with candles and petrol or gas lamps State should electrify the village, and people will pay for it
Middlemen They speculate Farmers sell their produce too cheap In general, nothing/smallholder farmers take produce to the souk themselves State should fix prices and control speculators
Lack of a vet Ministry of Agriculture has not attached a vet to the village Disease/loss of animals In general, nothing Ministry of Agriculture should place a vet in the village
Distance from administrative offices Seat of the commune and the qaidat are in Taourirt Necessary to go to Taourirt for any kind of official document They go to Taourirt Place the seat of the commune and the qaidat in Melqa Elouidane
Distance from the clinic No clinic in village There is no way of dealing with emergencies In case of need, they have to go to Taourirt State should open a clinic in the village or at least in the area
Drought Lack of rain Low yields/agriculture has become risky Diversify strategies/if the drought continues, those who can afford to do so build a house in Taourirt Ministry of Agriculture should assist smallholders by supplying seeds and fertilizers

Table 18 – Generational changes in the condition of women\mothers’ aspirations for their daughters: Taghilast

Grandmother

Mother

Aspirations for daughter

Organizational activities:

lived under tent

Organization activities:

live under tent and in house

Organizational activities:

live in house with tile roof

made alfa mats for the tent makes alfa mats for tent and for sale does not make alfa mats
made wool tent bands does not make wool tent bands
made wool rugs does make wool rugs anymore, as there is no wool learns how to sew and knit by machine
used candles for light uses butane gas and occasionally candles uses electricity for lighting
had many animals, spent much time tending animals fewer animals because they die; less work tending animals prefers daughter not tend animals and husband hires a shepherd
reared poultry extensively rears some poultry
walked barefoot, used scarf for covering, was dressed in rags uses plastic sandals, wears silk or synthetic silk scarf, dresses in ordinary clothes wears shoes, djellaba or caflan, dresses in beautiful clothes
husband beat wife husband scolds, sometimes beats wife well treated by husband
good health often sick has money for treatment
ignorant knows much about how things work
did not know about money knows about money but does not see it her husband will give her money
spoke only Berber speaks Berber and Arabic speaks Berber and Arabic
carried infants on back carries infants on back carries infants on back or uses small bed
children worked in fields children go to school
Hamman did exist, did not go sometimes goes to hamman goes often to Hamman
Activities related to food:

used goat skin to stock flour

Activities related to food:

use tin cans and goat skins

Activities related to food:

uses tin cans

ground flour using stone hand grinder husband takes flour for milling buys flour
consumed much butter butter is rarely consumed
consumed much meat (beef and mutton) and chicken now little chicken available to consume eats meat daily
cooked and boiled water using wood cooks with wood, boils water with gas has gas stove for all cooking needs
Environmental activities:

transported water in earthen jars on back

Environmental activities:

uses tin cans and plastic jugs

Environmental activities:

has water tap in house

carried firewood on her back carries firewood on back of donkey will not transport firewood
bitten often by scorpions fewer scorpions, hence bites are less



4/ A Fqih is a teacher of the Koran. As there are no schools in the village, the fqihs fill this gap as well.

5/ A mason, a barber and a vegetable trader.

6/ Households which neither own land, nor sharecrop.

7/ Three households cultivate only land of their own; 11 households sharecrop, seven of which do not have land of their own.

8/ Only one household sharecrops; all the others cultivate their own land.

9/ All households own irrigated land; two also own some rainfed land.

10/ Three households own 100 sheep; for the other households, the average is 32.5 sheep.

11/ Only four households own goats.

12/ This involves cleaning stables, milking, assisting birth, traditional treatment, and so on.

13/ It should be remembered that Taghilast is a settlement within a douar which includes another two settlements, Tanzert (3 km) and Matrouh (10 km). Therefore, as in Elhouafi, women move within the douar, though this is extended over a larger territory.

14/ Women's involvement in agricultural activities in Elhouafi is limited to picking fruit and taking meals to the men only when plots are within the douar. In Taghilast women take food and put up and take down tents as far away as Matrouh (10 km).

15/ Caisse Nationale de Crédit Agricole.

16/ 31 000 dh, the biggest loan.

17/ Most, however, say the loans from CNCA are also used to buy food.