The Minister of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries, Rural Development and Water and Forests, Aziz Akhannouch and the Minister of Tourism, Handicrafts, Air Transport and Social Economy, Nadia Fettah Alaoui carried out on Saturday , a field visit in the valley of Ait Mansour at the level of the territorial commune of Affella Ighir (province of Tiznit).
On this occasion, the delegation took note of the progress of the implementation of the development program of the valley recognized for its agro-tourism potential and ancestral know-how. It has a population of 2,500 inhabitants and covers 140 ha.
The valley was in a state of degradation in terms of its infrastructure and resources threatening its sustainability and the interests of its inhabitants.
The valley rehabilitation project, at a total cost of MAD 167 million, focuses on tourism promotion through the development of trails and hubs, the upgrading of existing establishments and the establishment of new tourist reception structures. in the valley and other action to promote tourism and support young workers in the valley area.
It also involves upgrading the valley in terms of hydro-agricultural development, land, cleaning of date palm tufts as well as support for the agricultural cooperative fabric.
It is also a question of the protection of the valley against the floods through specific development as well as the sanitation and the cleaning of the flows, as well as the improvement of the main road inside the valley.
The hydro-agricultural development works relating to the rehabilitation of the Small and Medium Hydraulic perimeters of the Aït Mansour valley with an investment of 5.10 Mdhs aim to improve the efficiency of the irrigation networks. and the protection of agricultural land and hydraulic works in the valley. And this through the construction and coating of the irrigation network “Seguias” on 10,000 ml, the construction, rehabilitation and sealing of 10 irrigation water accumulation basins as well as the collection and protection of 10 water sources. .
The anti-erosion development project with an area of 325 ha and a total cost of 5.39 Mdhs, will benefit the douars of Afilal, Gdourt and Ager Nimlalt.
The works to protect agricultural land and hydraulic structures on the banks of the Aït Mansour valley amounting to 22.5 Mdhs, consists of the protection of agricultural land and the degraded parts at the level of the banks of the valley by a mechanical protection (Gabion) as well as the correction of the slopes of the ravines against water erosion and the protection of hydraulic structures.
The major upgrading project for the Ait Mansour valley also relates to the tourist development of the Talat Yssi site, supported by the Souss-Massa Regional Tourism Development Company as well as the field school relating to the production of organic vegetables and aromatic and medicinal plants by the approach of wild Polinisateurs installed at the level of Douar Talat – Territorial Municipality of Afella Ighir. The amount of the actions of the school in the field since 2020 amounts to 54,260.00 Dhs. They aim to protect pollinators and biodiversity, cope with climate change, increase yields and improve farmers’ incomes.
The ministerial delegation visited agricultural plots operated by service cooperatives and learned about cleaning operations in the valley and recycling date palm waste into biocompost. The amount of actions relating to support for the upgrading of the agricultural cooperative fabric of the Ait Mansour valley amounts to MAD 2 million.
These include, in particular, the organization of training and awareness days, the establishment of a field school, the acquisition of agricultural equipment and tools for cleaning the clumps or even the support and equipment of service cooperatives.
Several conventions were signed on the sidelines of the visit of the two ministers. This is an agreement between the National Agency for the Development of Oasis and Argan Zones (ANDZOA) and five (05) service cooperatives and a specific agreement on support for the implementation place of service cooperatives between the Ministry of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries, Rural Development and Water and Forests and the Ministry of Tourism, Handicrafts, Air Transport and Social Economy.
A partnership agreement on the management and maintenance of tourist facilities in the Issi Ait Manssour valley has been concluded between the Souss-Massa Regional Tourism Development Company and the territorial commune of Afella Ighir and the Ouguass cooperative, in margin of the visit to the tourist development project of the Adad site in the territorial commune of Affella Ighir.
Finally, as part of this visit, operations to distribute firefighting equipment, improved ovens and apiaries were carried out.
It should be noted that the beginning of this visit was marked by the inauguration of rural tracks allowing the opening up of Douar Ayeghd, by linking it to the RP 1900 over a length of 2 km for a total cost of 2.49 Mdhs.
During this visit, the two ministers were accompanied by the Wali of the Souss-Massa region, the President of the region, the Governor of Tiznit province and a large delegation of officials from the two ministries.
