Opportunities for Women in Smallholder Olive Value Chains

Ongoing, RAFAD

This research is shedding light on the constraints faced by rural women in smallholder olive value chains in Morocco through its investigation on how socioeconomic, cultural, and cognitive dimensions affect women’s authority and participation in leadership, decision-making, and economic opportunities. With an understanding of the constraints, solutions can be identified to help women overcome their barriers to inclusion, and specific interventions can be designed to adequately consider rural women’s needs and prioritize local supporting mechanisms.

Opportunities for Women in Smallholder Olive Value Chains

Capacity Development in Research and Extension

Flagship: Resilient Agriculture for African Dryland (RAFAD)

Start Date: 2022

Category: Ongoing

End Date: 2026

Project Lead

African Plant Nutrition Institute

Main Collaborators

This project is implemented in collaboration with Tyout Chiadma Cooperative (Essaouira), Taymate Timoulilt Cooperative (Azilal), UM6P, Interpolive Moroccan, and the Interprofessional Federation of Olive in Essaouira.

Target Cropping Systems

Smalholder Olive Systems

Target Countries

Essaouira (Marrakech-Safi)

Azilal (Beni Mellal – Khenifra)

Short Description

With an understanding of the constraints, solutions can be identified to help women overcome their barriers to inclusion, and specific interventions can be designed to adequately consider rural women’s needs and prioritize local supporting mechanisms.

Research objectives:
• Engage with women in selected case studies to identify and trial specific interventions that empower women to realize economic opportunities in smallholder value chains.
• Identify the changes required, as well as solutions, that more aptly consider women’s needs and priorities for overcoming barriers in their olive value chain.
• Investigate the different factors that affect the empowerment and inclusion of women in the olive value chain.