Morocco imposes further water restrictions on melon cultivation

Morocco's government is taking further steps to restrict watermelon cultivation in an effort to conserve dwindling water resources. In the province of Zagora, an important area for watermelon cultivation, the governor has taken a decision limiting the maximum areas for watermelon cultivation to one hectare. This restriction also applies to areas close to drinking water pumping fields, including facilities that supply drinking water, and the banks of the Draa River along the oases and riverbeds. Local authorities have set up committees to monitor water withdrawals for irrigation and enforce the restriction, with legal action against violators. Morocco faces water scarcity, exacerbated by climate change and successive droughts. In 2022, the Ministry of Agriculture ended irrigation subsidies for water-intensive crops such as avocados, watermelons and citrus. Watermelon ...