Fields of Argan trees as far as the eye can see. A symbol of Morocco, this endemic small tree has grown in the arid regions of the Kingdom since time immemorial. Demanding little by way of water and able to withstand temperatures of up to 50°C, it is a bulwark against desertification and helps to prevent soil erosion. Since 2014, the practices and know-how of argan cultivators have been officially recognised on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List.
The world's largest producer of argan oil, Morocco is working to protect its argan forests, which are threatened by climate change and human activity.
Nora Enneddam, Head of the Sustainable Development and CSR department of the National Motorway Company of Morocco (ADM), is very aware of this. "As a landscape engineer, I had the chance to work on biodiversity and natural-heritage preservation projects, such as the replanting of argan trees on large areas as part of the Marrakesh-Agadir motorway project," she said.
The project replanted 221,000 argan trees on of 920 hectares, "an area that far exceeds the areas deforested during the construction of the motorway," said Ms Enneddam.
Eco-responsibility is at the heart of developing the road network. To put the Kingdom's climate commitments into practice, ADM aims to involve all stakeholders and raise highway users' awareness of climate issues in relation to the transport sector. The goal is to help reduce the carbon footprint of the road network, in line with the Low-Carbon Strategy 2050 launched by the Kingdom in 2021.
The transport sector alone accounts for nearly a quarter of Morocco's greenhouse gas emissions. Consequently, every motorway infrastructure project is subject to environmental impact assessments. This included the Marrakesh-Agadir motorway, for which the African Development Bank mobilized more than Ꞓ118 million in funding.
"Sustainable development is an integral part of any infrastructure project because we want to have a positive impact on all the regions that are crossed by the motorway, in a benevolent and respectful relationship," said Nora Enneddam.
Since 2016, the year of COP22 organized in Morocco, the Kingdom has held international conferences on sustainable mobility. The fourth edition was held in October 2022 in Marrakesh, on the eve of COP27 in Sharm el Sheikh. The theme, "Decarbonise, Finance and Digitalise the Road Sector for a Sustainable Mobility & Growth", aimed for sustainable growth and a transition to a green and inclusive economy.
While respecting the environment, the Marrakesh-Agadir motorway has considerably eased access to parts of the country and developed inclusive economic activity.
Fatima Elmehni, President of the Arganams women's cooperative, on the outskirts of Agadir attests: "The National Motorway Company of Morocco replanted large areas of argan trees, which helps to improve our productivity and harvest more raw materials. The motorway then allows us to send our products, with the desired quality, to every part of Morocco. For us, all of this is very beneficial!"
Nora Enneddam is proud to have contributed to the protection of argan trees. "In light of its ecological impact and its economic and social importance for the local community, I feel really proud to have played a part in preserving this unique tree."
