https://reasonstobecheerful.world/morocco-saving-traditional-seeds/
"Ibrahim Fajea’s family is one of 131 families remaining in a small community
of subsistence farmers in Sidi Ifni on the west coast of Morocco, on the shores
of the Atlantic Ocean. Nestled in the north African country’s Guelmim province,
Fajea’s land has suffered from a debilitating drought for almost six years,
which drove many farmers away.
Originally from Tighmert, about 75 kilometers south of Sidi Ifni, the
42-year-old and his family of five have been struggling to keep food on the
table.
“When the water dried up in the oasis many families were forced to leave,”
Fajea says. “I worked with a few people in our farmers’ collective to dig three
wells to use groundwater for irrigation.”
But keeping farming alive in this region requires more than just wells. That’s
why Fajea is one of a hundred farmers participating in an ecological seed bank
initiative by Dar Si Hmad Foundation to help his farming community. Launched in
2021 in Sidi Ifni, the seed bank sources indigenous seeds from across Morocco
and Europe. By focusing on traditional, drought-resistant varieties and
carefully storing the seeds, the seed bank — and an accompanying training
program for farmers — is helping to revive the land and improve the livelihoods
of those who rely on it."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
