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MoroCCoOases like TafilalT in sOuThern MOrOccO, where 220 varieTies Of daTe grOw, are The resulT Of huMan acTiviTy ThaT has brOughT Thriving life TO The deserT. They are self-sufficienT sysTeMs in which huMan acTiOns are parT Of a fragile and delicaTe balance.iF we abandon the oaSeS,The deserTwill reTurnLhouSSaine eL rhaFFari, nazarena Lanza12 AlMAnACThe families who live around the oasis of Tafilalt in southern Morocco tend the palm trees where olives and pome- granates grow, while vegetables are grown further down, in the ground, rotated with barley, wheat and animal fodder. This system of traditional oasis agriculture is called “layer farming” and is essential for the local people’s sur- vival. Each component is necessaryfor human and animal food, as well as the ecosystem as a whole: Intercrop- ping allows for varied production and encourages a humid microclimate that suits the multiplication of the microor- ganisms and organic material that pro- tect and fertilize the soil, while manure predominantly fertilizes the soil, main- taining a perfect balance between the various elements.© ArChIvIo Slow Food