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Green Growth: Putting Morocco in the Lead against Climate Change | The World Bank
Morocco’s economic success driven by smart, sustainable investments and “better management of natural resources to generate more jobs, value and wellbeing from existing assets”:
Near Marrakesh, in Morocco’s semi-arid landscape, a humble cactus once used to delineate farm plots and stave off hunger, is enjoying a renaissance that gives new meaning to the old saying “Waste not, want not.”
Prickly pear fruit that would have been discarded past its prime season is now pressed into juice to make jam, while the seeds are pressed into valuable oil for cosmetic purposes. Importantly, in a part of the country where rain is rare and declining, the cactus plant makes the most of available water. It combats soil erosion, creates a richer ecosystem, and relieves some of the pressure of grazing when cactus juice is mixed with straw to feed animals.
The development of the cactus value chain is one example among dozens of ongoing programs and projects that seek to identify waste, inefficiencies and pollution, to upgrade or invent new production processes, and to create value where previously there was little or none…[FULL STORY]