Morocco: The Desert Is Blooming — If You Know Where to Invest

In Morocco’s oasis regions, community-led initiatives are helping women and young people create jobs, launch businesses, and build more resilient futures close to home.

Covering 15 percent of Morocco, oasis landscapes support rural jobs and economic activities, especially in natural resource-based sectors.

In these oasis landscapes, life depends on a carefully managed balance among its key landscape components: water resources, agriculture systems, and community stewardship.

For generations, traditional farming practices have sustained these fragile ecosystems.

Today, however, this balance is increasingly threatened by rising temperatures, prolonged droughts, and declining water availability, placing growing pressure on the land and people who depend on it.

In the last two decades, the population of Tata Province has halved, as young people leave in search of economic opportunities further afield.

Fewer young people have consequences for both the ecosystem and rural economy that it underpins.

The challenge underscores a broader reality: nature is not simply an environmental asset, but foundational infrastructure for poverty reduction, economic opportunity, and a better quality of life.

To reverse this trend, the Government of Morocco, with support from the World Bank Group through the Global Partnership for Sustainable and Resilient Landscapes (PROGREEN), is investing in a new model that links ecosystem resilience with job creation and channels investment to where need is greatest and impact is highest.

The approach aligns with the findings of the Morocco Growth and Jobs Report, which highlights the critical role of micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises—representing 94 percent of Morocco’s private sector—in creating economic opportunities, particularly for young people.

Through the Sustainable Oasis Ecosystems Management Project, 20 community-led initiatives are underway in the Aoufous and Akka oases in rural Morocco, supporting enterprises in agriculture, tourism, handicrafts, and digital services.

At the heart of this effort are the people transforming these opportunities into livelihoods.

Turning ideas into enterprises

For many participants, the project is a steppingstone toward entrepreneurship.

After participating in business development training, Maryam Boulah is launching a cooperative, “Tirtwin,” to produce aromatic plants, incense, and natural cosmetics.

The cooperative has started as a family initiative, with the hopes to expand into a community enterprise.

The support helped us understand how to structure and grow our project.

We want to include more women so production can increase and incomes can improve.

In Akka, Abdelkabir Ouddour is starting a restaurant, connecting visitors with local culture and food.

“I wanted to create a traditional restaurant in the middle of agricultural farms. It has always been my dream to open a place that showcases our local culture and cuisine, but I had no idea about the responsibilities and commitments involved in running a business,” he explains.

“Thanks to the continuous training and support I received, I now have a much deeper understanding of what it takes to manage and grow a successful restaurant.”

As president of the tourist cooperative, “Tahjoubt,” in Douar Zaouia, Ouddour hopes the project will grow beyond the local level: “In the future, I hope we can welcome tourists from outside Morocco.” By anchoring tourism in rural communities, his endeavor ensures that the value generated from growing interest in oasis landscapes remains local.

Building skills for a new economy

While agriculture remains central to life in the oasis, new opportunities are also emerging beyond the farm.

In the town of Akka, Abdessadek Boulakhbar and the Aabakira cooperative are equipping young people with digital skills, from basic IT to social media and design, through the “E-douar” platform.

Around 20 young men and women are already participating, building skills like graphic design that can connect them to new income streams and opportunities beyond the local economy.

“Our aim is to create a strong impact both professionally and in local development,” says Boulakhbar.

“It’s not just about teaching digital skills. It’s about creating opportunities and contributing to the community.”

These efforts are critical in regions where traditional livelihoods alone may no longer sustain growing populations, helping to connect young people entering the workforce with jobs beyond the oasis.

Strengthening women’s access to skills and support

At the Women’s Multi-Functional Center in Akka, more than 150 women access training and support each year, building practical skills in areas such as IT, sewing, and cooking.

For many, the center provides a first pathway into income-generating activities.

“These trainings are helping women build skills they can use in their daily lives and to generate income,” explains director Rabiaa Al Manssouri. “We want to strengthen these opportunities further so women can move into more advanced training and share what they learn with others.”

Through targeted training, women are gaining both technical and entrepreneurial skills they can apply directly in local markets. “Since September, we have benefited from several training sessions,” says Zainaba Amazil, president of the Oum Al Aalag Women Association. “Now we are working to transfer these skills to other women and girls—especially those in vulnerable situations.”

Investing in jobs for the next generation

The impacts extend beyond livelihoods to education and community confidence.

In one local school, improvements such as green spaces, water access, and better facilities have transformed the student experience.

“Before, it felt like our school barely existed,” says 14-year-old student Hanane Errachidi.

“Now we come to school motivated, and everything has changed for the better.”

Her perspective reflects a broader shift: when communities see investment and opportunity at home, the incentive to leave diminishes.

By investing in people, Morocco’s oasis regions are beginning to chart a new path.

Across the Aoufous and Akka oases, community-led initiatives are creating jobs and local enterprises, allowing young people to build their future closer to home.