Reviving the Land: Wissal Ben Moussa's Sustainable Farming Journey
Wissal Ben Moussa, a visionary co-founder of the innovative start-up Sand to Green, has embarked on a transformative journey in 2022, focusing on the integration of cutting-edge technology and nature-inspired solutions to support farmers in Morocco. With a commitment to sustainability, her initiatives aim to rejuvenate soils that have been depleted by conventional agricultural practices, ultimately addressing the pressing challenges posed by climate change.
Nestled in Guelmim, a region at the edge of the desert in southern Morocco, Wissal’s family farm stands as a testament to resilience and ecological harmony. "I hold a degree in food engineering and previously worked in a multinational company where I was responsible for R&D, formulating bouillon cubes that often involved toxic additives," she recalls. This experience ignited a passion for the living world and a desire for meaningful work, prompting her to pivot towards agriculture. "I realized that if I wanted to make a real impact, it had to be at the very beginning of the agricultural supply chain, despite having no prior knowledge in the field," she explains.
Wissal began her agricultural journey with a modest 200-square-meter vegetable garden, diving into the realms of permaculture and agroecology. What once was an arid and inhospitable land has now transformed into a vibrant Eden, a space for experimentation and innovation under the umbrella of Sand to Green. "Regenerative agriculture is the key to addressing the crisis that traditional farming faces today due to climate change. This is where the idea for Sand to Green was born," Wissal emphasizes. The focus is on developing expertise and solutions deeply rooted in the earth, moving away from laboratory-centric approaches to practical, on-the-ground methods.
At Sand to Green, all soil and crop data are meticulously collected to feed into a platform designed to standardize best practices. This initiative enables farmers worldwide to adopt sustainable methodologies. "There's a term in English that I love to describe a farmer: 'land steward', which embodies the idea of stewardship. As a farmer, you are there to care for the land, becoming an integral part of the entire ecosystem," Wissal articulates. Today, Sand to Green is making strides across the African continent, assisting thousands of farmers in countries like Ivory Coast, Tanzania, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
As reported by rfi.fr.
