As the 2026 planting season comes to a close—following a long-awaited and uplifting rainy season marking the end of a seven-year drought—our focus at the High Atlas Foundation shifts from planting to what comes next: listening, learning, and building the future with farming families.

Across rural Morocco, we return to the communities where millions of trees have been planted alongside thousands of smallholder farmers. These are families cultivating less than two hectares of land, and who face some of the greatest economic challenges. Yet, they are also at the forefront of climate solutions.

Why Stakeholder Engagement Matters

Tree planting is only the beginning. For these efforts to translate into long-term impact, farmers must be fully engaged partners in shaping the next phase.

Through in-person visits and community dialogues, we work directly with farming families to:

• Identify which tree species are most resilient and beneficial for livelihoods
• Understand water availability and local environmental constraints
• Explore priorities such as education, income diversification, and community development
• Introduce and assess interest in participation in carbon offset programs

This process is essential to ensure that carbon initiatives are not imposed, but co-created—grounded in local realities and aligned with community aspirations.

Connecting Farmers to the Carbon Market

A key opportunity ahead is enabling farmers to access the carbon market, generating recurring income through the sale of certified carbon units.

To make this possible, we engage families in:

• Reviewing rights and responsibilities within carbon programs
• Understanding how carbon credits are generated and verified
• Identifying community projects that could be financed through carbon revenues
• Establishing transparent and inclusive benefit-sharing mechanisms

We also present grievance mechanisms, ensuring that all participants have clear, accessible channels to raise concerns. Contracts are provided in Arabic, supported by visual materials, and discussed both collectively and individually to ensure full understanding and consent.

The Challenge: Reaching Every Farmer

The scale of this work is significant.

The High Atlas Foundation plants millions of trees across widely dispersed rural areas, working with thousands of farming families across multiple provinces. This geographic spread makes stakeholder engagement both logistically complex and resource-intensive.

Reaching each community requires:

• Travel across remote and mountainous regions
• Time-intensive facilitation and dialogue
• Continuous follow-up to ensure understanding, trust, and participation

Yet this investment is non-negotiable. Without it, farmers cannot fully access or benefit from the carbon economy.

An Invitation to Partner

We are at a pivotal moment. With trees in the ground and ecosystems recovering, the next step is to ensure that the people who planted and care for these trees can benefit from them economically.

Your support will enable us to:

• Reach more farming families across rural Morocco
• Facilitate inclusive and informed participation in carbon programs
• Build the foundations for long-term, community-driven climate solutions

By investing in stakeholder engagement, you are not only supporting climate action—you are ensuring that smallholder farmers can secure sustainable income, strengthen their resilience, and shape their own futures.

We invite you to join us in making this possible.