Samantha Barnes
Pronouns: she/her
Research Mentor(s): Adam Simon
Co-Presenter:
Research Mentor School/College/Department: Earth and Environmental Sciences / LSA
Presentation Date: April 20
Presentation Type: Poster
Session: Session 5 – 3:40pm – 4:30 pm
Room: League Ballroom
Authors: Samantha Barnes, Adam Simon, Peter Knoop, Hanna Tuoriniemi , Henry Bushell, Colton Terhaar, Andres Velasco
Presenter: 73
Abstract
Plant nurseries are innovative ways to raise income, strengthen communities, and offset carbon emissions. The High Atlas Foundation in Morocco builds and cares for crop nurseries such as pomegranates, olives, and figs to later distribute into rural, predominantly women-led cooperative farms. They teach citizens farming with farmer-to-farmer learning programs and encourage independence and goal-development through women’s empowerment and youth workshops. Our research goal is to develop a set of websites that tell a story of the effects of these fruit trees and workshops on the Moroccan people and how investors can benefit from involvement environmentally, financially, and socially. It aims to raise money for fruit tree nurseries and awareness of Moroccan culture and traditions. We gathered stories, experiences, opinions, and statistics from the local Moroccan people and High Atlas Foundation staff members about the nurseries, farming, cooperatives, gender discrepancies, Jewish-Muslim interactions and more. Additionally we collected information from articles, books, and databases about Moroccan culture related to pomegranates, farming, education and gender, pomegranate market and uses, and carbon credits. The data tell a story about smaller communities and how they function, with members, especially women, coming together despite skill level and social status, finding their role, and creating work for themselves no matter how time-consuming or strenuous.
Environmental Studies
