Partly successful attempt to create a eucalyptus plantation in pre-Rif Moulay Yakoub mountains. In the background, new works in progress. - - Rural Economic Pre-Investment Project for the Western Rif. The Moroccan Government, in launching two long-range development plans, requested the assistance of the United Nations Development Programme and of FAO. The two UNDP/FAO Projects that resulted dovetail with the Government's overall plans in the Rif mountains and the Sebou River basin respectively. Their aim is to make these areas capable of supporting twice as many people by raising production, income and living standards. The Rif mountains in Northern Morocco cover 1,800,000 hectares, and have a population of 1,300,000. The UNDP/FAO project and the Government plan is to transform the Rif into a vast school where the people are being persuaded to break their ancient agricultural habits and acquire new more productive ones. The biggest battle is being waged in the sphere of soil conservation. In the lower ranges of the pre-Rif in particular, trees are planted on bench terraces to help consolidate the soil and prevent its being carried away by rains that often flood the Sebou basin below. In one year alone 111 kms. of bench terraces were built; and 65,000 olive trees, 2,100 almond and 131,000 evergreens were planted over an area of 830 hectares.