Aboghlou Cooperative Leads Agricultural Development
Through capacity building and strategy, the Aboghlou Cooperative overcame market challenges and organizational weakness to become an internationally renowned producer of agricultural products.
New Strategy, New Markets
The Aboghlou Cooperative was founded in 2016 by a group of 60 women in Ourika Valley looking to diversify their economic options. They quickly realized that restricted market access, combined with organizational weaknesses, resulted in low productivity and low profits.
In partnership with the Institut Agronomique et Vétérinaire Hassan II (IAV) in Rabat, the High Atlas Foundation conducted an initial training in planting, harvesting, and grafting almond trees, growing and drying calendula, and addressing irrigation issues in the Aboghlou nursery.
Further workshops on organizational development and e-marketing strategies followed – supported by YSL L’Oreal and PUR – and provided ongoing technical support to farmers and cooperatives in Ourika Commune.
This support encouraged the women of Aboghlou to refine their production methods and internal organization, which resulted in increased agricultural yields and entry into new markets. Today, the cooperative flourishes as a producer of high-quality agricultural products: barley-based couscous, confections, and medicinal/aromatic herbs. Forming robust partnerships with local and international buyers, the cooperative has expanded and diversified revenue streams with great success.
The Aboghlou Cooperative is also an active participant in the International Agricultural Forum in Morocco (SIAM), which serves as an opportunity to showcase products, collaborate with peers, share expertise, and gain insights into innovations in the agricultural sector.
By increasing technical knowledge, facilitating market access, and fostering productive partnerships, Aboghlou stands as an example of the transformative impact of capacity building in Moroccan agricultural cooperatives.
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