Analysis of Gender Roles Related to Water Resources Management in the Case of APP Fruit Tree Planting Project in the Béni Mellal Area

Abstract

Agriculture uses 86% of water resources and plays a major economic and social role in Morocco. Women play a key role in agriculture in general, and in the collection and safeguarding of water for domestic and agricultural use. However, women’s participation in agriculture and in water management is ignored or even impeded: women have a much less influential role than men in management, in problem analysis, and in related decision-making processes. There is a need to explore different mechanisms for increasing women’s access to decision-making in agriculture and Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM). The APP Fruit Tree Arboriculture project (PAF) was implemented in compliance with the “MCC Gender Policy,” and “gender issue assessments and plans” are required. PAF peri­meters are subject to a detailed study of the population socioeconomic characteristics, as well as gender roles relative to agricultural and environmental management, illiteracy, and land ownership patterns by gender. The objective of the present work is to analyze information about gender roles and attitudes in some of the PAF peri­meters in the Beni Mellal region. This chapter will document role distribution and production factors ownership and access by gender and will make recommendations of gender-specific training programs designed to increase the capacity and involvement of women and their access to decision-making in agriculture and IWRM.