Wheat Cooperatives in Morocco: Structure, Governance, Benefits and the Impact of Covid-19

Abstract

Morocco’s development strategies are mainly focused on women’s participation in cooperatives as solutions to poverty and gender inequality. However, through detailed analysis of the structure, governance and benefits of 15 wheat cooperatives in Morocco, we find these issues cannot be resolved through cooperative participation alone. Further, our findings demonstrate that the impact of Covid- 19 has increased vulnerabilities and gaps in access and incomes resulting in massive losses and disruptions, with most members and especially workers struggling to even put food on the table, let alone achieve empowerment, as proposed by Morocco’s emphasis on cooperatives as vehicles to improve women’s lives.