Keeling Curve

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Project Summary / Description:

The project contributes to the inclusive and climate-resilient development of the territories, and the recognition of the role of women in the energy transition. We are building the capacities of 600 women employed in rural cooperatives on sustainable management skills, women‚ leadership and ecologically sound production models, so they can face the climate crisis. We are also training and supporting 40 young women technicians on solar technologies and business skills so they can enter the Moroccan renewable energy sector via the creation of energy cooperatives. 

The project comes from two Moroccan CSOs dedicated to the protection of argan forests and the improvement of local population‚ living conditions: Union of Women's Cooperatives for the production and distribution of Argan oil and Mohammed 6 Foundation for Research and the Safeguard of Argan Trees. They received the Gender Just Climate Solutions Awards during COP22 from the Women and Gender Constituency (a coalition of women‚ rights and gender equality NGOs, official observer UNFCCC) to reward their initiative to disseminate solar cookers in schools and argan cooperatives as an alternative to fuel wood, and as a relevant measure to mitigate climate change and fight against deforestation. Wecf has been working with them since 2016 to establish the local production and wide dissemination of decentralized solar technologies adapted to the needs of rural populations and small businesses, focusing on the drying and cooking of argan, agricultural or fish products. 

The project started officially in September 2019 with the financial support of the French Development Agency.

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Since 2016, WECF France, FMVIRSA and UCFA, spurred by common values and goals of gender and climate justice, have built a strong coalition of partners with diverse expertise, and developed this community owned, innovative and inclusive project. Our coalition aims to empower rural women, who are traditionally excluded from decision making processes and from dynamic employment sectors, so they can fully contribute to Morocco‚ energy transition and respond to the social, economic and environmental impacts of the climate crisis. 

This is why we have adopted a holistic approach, combining technical trainings on climate technologies for 40 young female technicians with capacity building on business skills and sustainable management for 600 women members of cooperatives, as well as political empowerment for the 20 most motivated of them. 
Thanks to the acquired technical and entrepreneurial skills, young technicians are creating a local value chain of solar solutions that will benefit the local food production economy in large underserved rural areas of Morocco. 
The local manufacture of solar equipment not only responds to the different needs of small rural enterprises and cooperatives (most often led by women) that are essential to ensure the food security and sustainable economy in these provinces, but it also creates job for trained young girls, who despite their diplomas, face strong barrier to enter the employment market because of patriarchal norms. 
By replacing firewood and gas equipment with solar cookers and dryers, the women in argan and food cooperatives will increase the cost-efficiency of their production and improve their carbon footprint.
The training and mentoring program on political leadership will encourage a greater participation of rural women in the local policy-making process to further boost the energy transition. 
With the funded dissemination of 120 solar cookers in 3 schools, the project mobilizes youth to raise awareness in their families and their communities on effective, affordable and clean energy solutions. This approach will entrench the adoption rate of the promoted technologies by the population.

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