Guardian of Mediterranean Diversity Hrou Abouchrif
Hrou Abouchrif
Growing up in southeastern Morocco, Hrou Abouchrif learned about the characteristics of pasture
plants and their use by village healers while herding sheep and goats with his father along the
mountain paths. As a young shepherd he learned about traditional grazing techniques, which
favour the natural regeneration of pasture plants. This experience inspired Abouchrif to choose a
career as an agro-ecologist. Today, Hrou Abouchrif is the Director of the Association ADRAR, an
organization that works to promote social development, protect the environment and fight poverty
in the Eastern High Atlas and Ifrane regions of Morocco. In two decades of fieldwork for ADRAR,
Abouchrif has contributed to the implementation of projects aiming to conserve—in situ—the
diversity of medicinal and aromatic plants, crop plants and birds. These successful projects have
involved species mapping, awareness campaigns, and capacity building. Hrou Abouchrif has been
involved in implementing a project to promote agrobiodiversity through ecotourism in
mountainous Errachidia Province, an area that is particularly rich in local flora and fauna. This
innovative project brings farmers and tourist lodge owners together in a campaign whose purpose
is to increase the use of local medicinal and aromatic plant species. The project is being
implemented in partnership with the Italian NGO UCODEP and the faculty of Science and
technology Errachidia. Abouchrif has long served as a symbolic ambassador for the local traditions
of this Berber speaking area of Morocco. To ensure the sustainability of his work, Hrou Abouchrif
works closely with the Moroccan Ministry of Education to increase environmental awareness and
activism among young people.