STRATEGIC AXES OF THE INITIATIVE
To reach the aforementioned goals, the SOI will act according to three complementary axes, establishing three intervention pillars leading to a sustainable balance of the oases systems: recognize, protect and develop.
These strategic axes are presented schematically as follows (figure 1):
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PILLAR 1
Recognition of the vulnerability of oasis
This pillar aims at a better acknowledgement of the unique character and vulnerability of oases ecosystems. In this regard, actions are planned allowing to: Recognize oases as vulnerable ecosystems threatened by climate change; Census all oases areas as exhaustively as possible; Mobilize and establish a coalition of the stakeholders concerned to defend the interest of these oases areas. 1.1. Recognition of oases’ vulnerable nature To identify oases’ vulnerability to climate change, tangible, appropriate and scientifically recognized criteria must be developed. These criteria must lead to oases labelling as is the case for spaces recognized as ingenious system of the world agricultural heritage (GIAHS) established by FAO or Biosphere Reserves set up by UNESCO. Oases acknowledgment should also lead to the establishment of scientific committees which actions must focus on subjects relating to oases protection and sustainable development while creating databases, and relevant knowledge oriented to practical resolutions of oases issues. Improving the knowledge of oases systems, its vulnerability, its ecological, economic and social importance, will provide the basis for leading events that help, on one hand, raising awareness of general public, and on the other hand, working with diverse actors including those concerned by the impacts of climate change, in order to defend oases issue. The developed knowledge bases will help build arguments to support this. 1.2. The exhaustive census of oasis zones This component concerns the elaboration of a georeferenced database through mapping and developing a typology of oases areas in world dry zones. Therefore, we must capitalize the work of national and international agencies to combat desertification: the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and the other organizations and institutions (UNESCO, FAO, OSS, UNDP, ...). ​ This mapping and inventory work will cover all fields of oases spaces, particularly: The mapping of soils and their use; The mapping of «ecosystems» (geomorphology and landscapes); The mapping of biodiversity (vegetation) and other natural resources; The mapping of water resources and their uses (water accounting and audit, hydro-agricultural managements); The mapping of the surrounding spaces and the identification of the existing interactions; The inventory of the cultural and human heritage and the local know-how for their valuation and conservation. ​ 1.3. Mobilization of stakeholders Forming coalitions to support the importance of oases is the third component of strategy pillar1. It concerns the identification of all the stakeholders from various backgrounds and origins (governments, political decision-makers, national and international agencies, funders, scientific institutions, producers, awareness raising and communication professionals, professional organizations, non-governmental organizations, trainers) and raising their awareness about the issue and threats to oases and potential solutions to protect and sustainably develop these ecosystems.
PILLAR 2
Preservation of oasis ecosystems
This pillar is dedicated to oases ecosystems conservation. It includes three components: The protection of the biodiversity and the oases natural heritage; The preservation of Production techniques and optimization of water resources; Conservation of architectural and cultural heritage. Overall, it concerns taking actions in favor of oases systems conservation «Don’t Touch» including the accommodated human systems. ​ 2.1. Protection of biodiversity and oases natural heritage Efforts will focus on preserving plant and animal biodiversity and natural heritage of the oases systems. For this purpose, several actions are planned to fight degradation factors of these natural resources; particularly, those related to climate risks, to diseases and pests, and to anthropogenic activities. In order to address risks threatening the biodiversity, SOI proposes a process of setting up warning systems related to droughts, fires, floods, silting, locusts invasions, and outbreaks of other pests and diseases. Once these systems are installed, they will prevent risks and reduce the impacts by taking appropriate measures. ​ To reinforce the oases systems resilience, we will get through: Research development support on biodiversity for these ecosystems; Supporting awareness-raising and communication activities with stakeholders, decision-makers and with general public; Establishment of a network of observatories de- dicated to following up, monitoring and warning in the fields of: o Agricultural and rural development; o Management of solid and liquid wastes; ​ Fight against water and soil degradation; Sustainable management of natural resources: water and soil (ecosystems including landscapes); Setting up valuation systems and adequate useof biodiversity to guarantee its protection and its durability. ​ Considering the interest of natural reserves in the preservation of these natural resources, it is planned, as part of this initiative, to create, encourage and develop national parks and protected areas. The creation of these parks will be based on the identification and characterization of spaces as well as the implementation of adapted management plans. Measures to combat diseases, pests, floods and the other degradation and pollution factors, will be introduced by integrating: ​ Development of scientific research on these oasis environments; particularly, aspects of degradation and innovations to overcome them; Strengthening international health measures of prevention and protection against enemies threatening the natural plant facies, cultures and animal health; Promoting partnerships, exchanges and collaboration between national and international     research and development organizations. The rehabilitation of traditional irrigation techniques will be approached through: Mobilization of “water resources through: - Prospecting the deep underground water; - Rainwater harvesting; - Improvement of the storage capacity (hill dams underground passageways, basins ; - Sewerage systems widespread; - Setting up water-treatment plants and waste water re-use in agriculture; - Development of the most adapted crops. ​ The introduction of new irrigation technologies adapted to oases context and the improvement of the efficiency of irrigation; ​ The reconversion to localized irrigation, wherever possible, particularly in oases periphery; The optimal exploitation of flooding water in the context of climate change; The modernization of the legal framework governing traditional rights of surface water and groundwater (underground waters contract); The capacity building of agricultural water users; organizations and transfer of know-how. ​ 2.2. Preservation of agricultural techniques and optimization of resources The rehabilitation and maintenance of traditional systems, the perpetuation and artificial recharge of the groundwater supplying such a system (khettaras, foggaras, traditional intra-oasian distribution and distribution networks, drainage network, banks, seguias, wells, etc.) ; 1- The preservation of groundwater resources and the optimization of the joint management of surface water and groundwater as well as the management of competition between the different uses of the resource. The transmission of the best agricultural and technical practices and the use of new technologies adapted to communities is a way of intervention that the Initiative foresees in order to protect the old relevant techniques and introduce new ones to improve and complete them. In this regard, it is expected to: 2- Set up training and vocational qualification programs, and systems of stakeholders mentoring (agricultural extension); 3- Develop, strengthen and spread agro-ecological techniques for an integrated and sustainable agricultural development. ​ Research and development are actions to promote within the framework of conservation and improvement of techniques practised within the oases systems. They have to cover a set of components of the agroecosystem by giving particular attention to oases agriculture pillar: the date palm tree and the other species cultivated in association with the date palm tree. Generator of technologies, research and development have also to: Be applied to production techniques, irrigation and valorization of agricultural products of oases system (date palm and other associated crops) ; Contribute to the establishment of data bases dedicated to oases techniques; Serve as a platform to encourage collaboration between research institutes and scientific community at the universities. ​ 2.3. Conservation of architectural and cultural heritage The third component of pillar 2 is dedicated to sectors related to urbanization, protection and promotion of architectural and cultural heritage. These sectors are significant, as they constitute basic elements of oases differentiation and identity. This component is approached through three main actions: ​ The improvement of the urbanization legal frame allowing to preserve the suitable agricultural production areas from soil sealing (construction) or to build and to bound quarries in order not to allocate spaces with ecological and/or scientific value. This action will also:  Work toward elaborating a legislation of an adapted urbanization and its distribution;  Set up oases development programs according to a participative approach. ​ The promotion of the oases spaces culture by making events dedicated to their distribution, conservation and valorization. At this level, efforts will be focused on: - Identifying, describing and listing the sociocultural heritage of diverse oases;  Organizing festivals and promoting events of the ancestral cultural practices and make them know in order to preserve them; Developing media supports (audio-visual) granting the general public access: movies, DVD, etc. Setting up Eco-museums networks for the preservation of oases civilization. ​ The protection of architectural heritage of oases is a project to be methodically led for a typology and a classification of sites, restoration of ksours, kasbahs, historical sites and development of an ecosystem-based management. This construction site will be dedicated to: - Inventory and classification of sites; - Restoration and rehabilitation of oases buildings heritage; -Development of modern accommodation models adapted to oases conditions by protecting the architectural landscape; - Research and development of building materials and distribution of results adapted to the oases housing environment.
PILLAR 3
Sustainable development of the oases ecosystems
This strategy third pillar adopted by the «Sustainable Oases» Initiative completes two other pillars through the proposal of an investment vision carrying out development ensuring, in an integrated and participative way, the economic environmental and social sustainability of oases. Three main components are structuring this pillar: Development of agricultural activities and adapted production sectors; Development of production systems and solidary- based valorization; Diversification of socioeconomic activities and promotion of small and medium-sized enterprises. 3.1. Development of agricultural activities and adapted sectors It is not only an economic component but it concerns also landscape and social aspect taking into account the multifunctional roles of agriculture. The oases agriculture really shows these roles due to the very small size of the farms and the existing interactions between farmers that any intervention has to consider ensuring the sustainability of the global system. Therefore, this component will focus on: ​ Developing adapted crops (choice of species and varieties suited to the oases context); Labelling local products, organic farming and the oases agroecology to better differentiate oases products; Developing refrigerated storage equipment to secure and optimize the valorization and marketing; Strengthening research, development and technology transfer for a better control of productiontechniques adapted to the oases context; Developing qualification and vocational training institutes, monitoring structures and agricultural extension for a continuous and sustainable improvement of skills. ​ 3.2. Development of production and valorization solidarity-based systems The characteristics of the oases agriculture makes it necessary to optimize production systems and work toward grouping the most adapted operators for a better management of space, a better use of resources and products. In this sense, we should act for: ​ Organization of farmers on cooperatives; Development of collective professional organization: economic interest groups, unions of cooperatives, professional federations; Capacity building techniques and management of cooperatives and associations; Development of entrepreneurial spirit, auto- employment and initiative among women and young people; Capacity building of the traditional social organizations. ​ 3.3. Diversification of the socioeconomic activities and promotion of small and medium-sized enterprises Since oases are living places offering opportunities for practicing different human activities, they had ensured an economic role in the past, regarding trade, stopovers and exchanges in the vast desert spaces. These opportunities, in spite of the harsh climate, continue to exist and it is recommended to value them. Therefore, it is relevant to act for: The development of oases tourism: ecotourism, natural sites of geological and biological interest Supporting the traditional economic activities: handcrafts, small business, service delivery; The sustainable valorization of natural resources: natural deposits, mines, rare earths,... ; The encouragement of social development initiatives; The promotion of small and medium-sized enterprises.
