Cooperative Entrepreneurship in Morocco: The Case study of Women's Cooperatives in the Souss Massa Region

The cooperative sector is currently an important lever for local, regional and national development. Due to their legal form and associated social and tax advantages, cooperatives actively contribute to reducing unemployment and improving living conditions in various regions, especially in rural areas. The positive impact also extends to individuals, with women primarily benefiting. This explains the rapid growth of this sector in Morocco. The Office for the Development of Cooperatives (ODCo) recently published statistics on Morocco’s cooperative sector for the end of 2021. In six years (from 2015 to 2021), the number of cooperatives has tripled, from 15,735 to 47,609, bringing the total number of members to 689,617 (ODCo, 2023). This article highlights the characteristics of women cooperatives in Morocco through the case study of women’s cooperative of Souss Massa region. Unique aspects of women's participation will be explored by presenting the results of a comprehensive survey of cooperatives in the Souss Massa region (SM), covering all genders. The results of this survey represent the first phase of a research project entitled “Collective entrepreneurship as a driver of sustainable development: a case study of cooperatives in the Souss Massa region.†In the first part we will review the history of the cooperative movement in Morocco from independence to today. This will allow us to better understand the special entrepreneurial spirit that characterizes this industry. Subsequently, through the above survey results, an overview of women's cooperatives is revealed.