Towards Sustainable Argan Landscapes: Co-Designing Nature-Based Solutions in the Essaouira Region
On June 26, 2025, the Moroccan SALAM-MED Living Lab held its third workshop in Sidi Kaouki, Essaouira, bringing together a diverse group of stakeholders to co-create and evaluate nature-based solutions for the sustainable management of argan ecosystems. The workshop focused on three interrelated challenges affecting the region: argan reforestation, grazing pressure, and the implementation of Subsurface Water Retention Technology (SWRT) to improve argan seedling performance.
During the workshop, participants engaged in an open and collaborative evaluation of the presented solutions. They assessed the perceived impact of each proposed approach.
Stakeholders also contributed to the participatory assessment of adoption potential. Initial discussions revealed strong support for SWRT in combination with traditional soil amendments, though concerns were raised regarding scalability, maintenance, and economic feasibility for smallholder farmers.
The workshop also included a participatory questionnaire based on the theory of planned behaviour, aimed at assessing the perceived feasibility and intention to adopt the proposed practices.
This third Living Lab marked a significant step in aligning research, local knowledge, and policy efforts around shared goals for Morocco’s argan landscapes. The next phase will involve integrating participant feedback into future trials and continuing dialogue on sustainable land-use strategies tailored to the region’s social and ecological realities.
