LDN Fund and LDN TAF Case Study

Country:

Morocco

Sector:

Citrus

Business model

Atlas Fruits Company (AFC), created and managed by local project developers, has since 2009 been operating citrus farms – specifically Nadorcott mandarins – in the Chichaoua region of Morocco. It has a collective objective to promote the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices that bring positive effects to land and water management in the citrus sector.

AFC seeks to become a leading citrus player in Morocco, currently owning 6 citrus farms with a land size of around 200 ha and 160,000 trees. With its operation supported by around 300 employees, it has a yield of more than 50 tons per ha. Their business strategy relies on a strong connection and respect for the environment, commitment to social engagement, and consistently improving the quality of its products.

Investment

Purpose: With the LDN Fund investment, AFC will finance its development plan which aims to acquire poorly managed farms in different regions of Morocco and turn them it into leading sustainable citrus orchards.

Duration: 7 years.

© AFC

Technical assistance

  • AFC has the opportunity to demonstrate ambition and use their strong local presence to advance the gender equality agenda in the agricultural sector in Morocco. Through technical assistance (TA) support, AFC will be supported by experts in the field of gender equality with extensive understanding of the local context in Morocco to identify challenges and opportunities for women engaging with AFC. They will also engage on feasibility assessment of including women in operations including setting up an operational harvest trial by women. Based on the gaps and opportunities identified, a Gender Action Plan for AFC will be developed.
  • The TA support will also be mobilized to assess and close the gaps between AFC’s current HR practices and international standards, developing state-of-the-art documents and procedures for HR capacity building. The objective is to become a leading employer in the agricultural sector and operate at a best-in-class level. In addition, AFC recognizes the importance of assessing whether it provides a Living Wage (LW) to its employees or if there exists a gap and its magnitude. Assessment to understand whether there is a LW gap within AFC’s operations will be conducted, and once this is understood, AFC can – if needed – develop a strategy to address any identified gaps