Fez-Meknes is investing 108.6 million dirhams for the ecological modernization of traditional pottery and lime kilns. A project supported by broad institutional collaboration, aiming to reduce CO2 emissions, improve energy efficiency and support artisans in this transition. An initiative that promises a more sustainable future for regional crafts.
The Fez-Meknes region is resolutely committed to the path of ecological transition. An envelope of 108.6 million dirhams will thus be allocated to the modernization of traditional pottery and lime kilns. This was indicated by the Chamber of Crafts during its recent general meeting.
This investment, which demonstrates strong environmental awareness, will significantly reduce the air pollution generated by these artisanal activities.
This initiative is part of the sixth strategic axis of the Regional Development Program, which aims to “protect natural resources and ecology in the face of climate change”. The project aims to ensure the sustainability of the environmental upgrade of traditional businesses in the region and to combat air pollution caused by the lime and pottery sectors.
An integrated project for sustainable and environmentally friendly crafts
The ambition of this project is broken down into several clear objectives: reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve the energy efficiency of ovens, modernize artisanal production methods, improve the quality of products and, ultimately, improve the local living conditions. It is a global approach that aims to transform artisanal practices to make them more environmentally friendly while preserving their economic viability.
The financing of this project is based on close collaboration between several institutional actors. The Fez-Meknes Regional Council will contribute 29 MDH, while the Ministry of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development will make a contribution of 79.6 MDH.
This financial synergy is supplemented by the active participation of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Ministry of Tourism, Crafts and the Social and Solidarity Economy, the wilaya of the Fez-Meknes region, the prefecture of the province of Sefrou, and the Caisse de dépôt et de gestion pour le développement.
Towards a regional extension of the program
During the general assembly, Abderrahim Belkhayat, regional director of Crafts in Fez, provided details on the implementation of the project. He announced that 249 pottery units in the city of Fez and 60 lime production units in the city of Sefrou would initially be affected by this initiative.
According to him, the first hypotheses assume that, for the pottery units, the financing per kiln will amount to 400,000 dirhams, including 320,000 DH covered by the State and 80,000 DH by the craftsman.
Concerning the lime production units, the financing per kiln will reach 720,000 dirhams, with a State contribution of 600,000 DH and a contribution from the artisan of 120,000 DH. After discussion and exchanges with the artisans, Belkhayat proposed the generalization of this initiative to all towns in the region, thus underlining the importance of this project for the sustainable development of the region.
Support and cost control, keys to success
To guarantee the success of this ecological reconversion operation, the craftsmen emphasized the importance of support and control of polluting activities. Thifa, an artisan potter from the Benjellik artisanal district in Fez, highlighted the concrete challenges facing the project. He recalled that Benjellik has nearly 250 workshops, with more than 500 traditional polluting ovens in operation.
According to him, a support operation is essential to limit the expansion of traditional ovens and avoid repeating the mistakes of the past, where similar initiatives did not achieve their objectives. The artisans present at this meeting also expressed their concerns regarding the cost of using gas, which could represent a significant financial obstacle for some of them. They called for the establishment of a subsidy mechanism to help them bear these additional costs and thus guarantee the success of the energy transition.
This ambitious project, if successfully completed, could serve as an example for other regions of Morocco and contribute to the emergence of a more sustainable and environmentally friendly artisanal sector.
Mehdi Idrissi / ECO Inspirations
