Project goal:

I connected with a research group at Cornell University that was researching sustainable agriculture in the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco. During the school year, we conducted on a systematic literature review of the two major recent agricultural development policies in Morocco: Plan Maroc Vert and Génération Green 2020-2030. In addition to the systematic review, we conducted our own independent literature reviews. I was particularly focused on topics such as decentralization, neopatrimonialism, and participatory processes. It was at this time that I decided I wanted to conduct fieldwork in Morocco as my LiA to get a better sense of how local communities access development policies, perceive the government (local and national), and participate with the government. 

Objectives:

The key objective was planning and conducting IRB-approved interviews with community members and local political figures in the Toubkal and Ait Bouguemez communes in the High Atlas region. To do this, I had to work with translators, go through many iterations of survey questions, practice the surveys, and refine the questions to better translate from English > French > Tashelhit, and network in local communities to gain access to political figures and knowledgeable village members. 

Outcomes:

With aid from two translators and a co-researcher halfway through my time in Morocco, I completed over 80 individual interviews across 20 villages and four focus groups with members of cooperatives. The data collected will be analyzed this fall and written in my Honors Thesis. 

Reflection:

This summer was a really unique experience to conduct my own research under the guidance of a PhD student and professor, and learn what the process of fieldwork looks like. I learned how to prepare an IRB application, write a survey, write consent forms, conduct a survey, interact with translators, and live in remote mountainous villages with no knowledge of the local language. I learned that the villages in the High Atlas mountains had diverse experiences with disasters, agricultural success, and resources due to the geographic situation and infrastructure. For example, a village directly next to Lac Ifni, a significant water source in Toubkal commune, used to have easy access to water, but following the 2023 earthquake, the water was diverted, and they now struggle to have enough water to sustain their agricultural livelihoods. A village further down the river had flourishing cherry trees and abundant vegetation in comparison. Experiences in one village were not generalizable even to the villages within a mile.

Every day, I saw and heard firsthand about the fragility of life in the mountains and the dependence on good problem-solving/policy implementation, access to essential resources, and government aid. At the same time, I witnessed extreme generosity as the poorest members of the village set up feasts of tea and bread, gifted me pounds of fresh cherries and bags of local walnuts, and spent several hours responding to questions and connecting us to other village members. In many cases, my research team was the first outsiders to ask how the village fared after the earthquake, what their water access was like, or if they had access to government policies. I learned that research like this brings hope to people who have never felt supported before; however, I also felt a great obligation to fulfill my promises and respond to their frustrations. 

This experience reminded me of the value of the social sciences and of political science research in particular. Policy decision affect real lives, and on-the-ground research is essential to understanding individual experiences. Generalizing from one village to another for simplicity's sake is fraught with risks. This leadership-in-action experience gave me confidence that pursing a Master's degree in International Relations and seeking jobs that allow me to work internationally is a meaningful and purpose-driven career. path The experiences I am having now, together with my academic studies, are preparing me to make a significant impact in the world.