INDH in Essaouira: more than MAD 24 million in support for 42 cooperatives between 2019 and 2023
Essaouira – Some 42 cooperatives in the province of Essaouira benefited from support from the National Initiative for Human Development (INDH) during its third phase (2019-2023), for a total amount estimated at 24.16 million dirhams (MDH).
This report was revealed during a ceremony organized by the prefecture of the province of Essaouira, Friday at the “Argana” Integrated Crafts Complex in the Cité des Alizés, on the occasion of International Cooperatives Day. This communication meeting, which took place in the presence of representatives of government departments, relevant national institutions, local elected officials, INDH partners and beneficiary cooperatives, was an opportunity to highlight the efforts and the achievements of the Initiative in terms of support and support for these structures, essential to the economic fabric of this part of the national territory. Speaking on this occasion, Nassima El Wardi, head of the “Income improvement and economic inclusion of young people” department at the Social Action Division (DAS) under the prefecture of the province of Essaouira, indicated that more 840 people from 45 municipalities benefited from these support projects, which focused on several areas, notably agriculture, crafts, traditional embroidery, fishing and tourism. She subsequently presented an exhaustive presentation on the achievements of Program 3 of the INDH at the provincial level, in particular the axis relating to support for the social and solidarity economy, noting that, during the period 2019- 2023, the Initiative has entered into several strategic partnerships to support local cooperatives in the improvement and promotion of local products, as well as in the creation of new commercial outlets. During her statement to MAP, Ms. El Wardi indicated that the financial support from the INDH enabled cooperatives to strengthen their production capacities and improve the quality of their products, thus promoting the improvement of living conditions. of their members and the socio-economic development of the province. For his part, Omar Benhjib, head of the Marrakech-Safi regional delegation of the Cooperation Development Office (ODCO), delivered a presentation on the Office’s interventions in favor of cooperatives in the province, highlighting before the various actions carried out to strengthen the organizational and operational capacities of these structures, in particular through continuing training, mentoring and technical assistance programs. In this context, he looked at the “Mourafaka” Program, implemented by ODCO, and which is intended to be a support initiative intended for newly created cooperatives, aiming to support them in strengthening their technical and managerial. Mr. Benhjib also mentioned the various initiatives carried out by the ODCO, in partnership with several organizations, with a view to encouraging cooperatives to improve their productivity, including the “Lalla Al Moutaâouina National Prize”, which offers support financial contribution of 50,000 dirhams to the winning cooperatives, as well as the National “Solidarity Generation” Prize, which honors young cooperative project leaders and youth cooperatives distinguished by their commitment and innovation. Furthermore, this ceremony also provided an opportunity to discover several cooperatives in the province, which exhibited their diverse products, thus illustrating the wealth and dynamism of the local economy. The exhibition stands allowed visitors to better understand the quality and originality of local products, ranging from crafts to agriculture, including food products and artistic creations. Approached by MAP, Zahra Afounous, director of the “Lamssa Souiria” cooperative specializing in traditional embroidery, expressed her gratitude to the INDH for its valuable support, adding that thanks to this support, the cooperative was able to modernize its equipment, improve the quality of its products and develop the skills of its members. Same story with Lahcen Bighourbane, director of the “Arganium” cooperative located in the rural commune of Sidi Hmad Ou Hamed, who said that the support of the INDH allowed the cooperative to improve its production processes, to optimize the quality of its argan-based products and to diversify its offering with new product ranges, such as cosmetics and essential oils. For her part, Aya Chaggan, representative of the “Stevia Mogador” cooperative specializing in the field of aromatic plants, expressed her thanks to the INDH for its vision and its commitment to the social and solidarity economy, specifying that thanks In this support, the cooperative was able to develop new cultivation techniques to improve the quality of its products, in particular stevia, a plant with aromatic and medicinal virtues. Placed under the theme “Cooperatives build a better future for all”, this communication day served as a platform to reaffirm the commitment of the INDH and its partners to the promotion of cooperatives as key players in sustainable development in level of the province of Essaouira.