Morocco: a new city bans watermelon cultivation

The governor of the province of Tinghir, Ismaïl Heikel, recently took the decision to ban the cultivation of red and yellow watermelons in all municipalities under his jurisdiction, for the 2024-2025 agricultural campaign.

In his decision, the governor explained that the region’s water resources have drastically declined due to the persistent drought that has hit the kingdom for six years. The measure came into force on November 8 and the Provincial Water Committee is responsible for ensuring strict compliance. Ecologists and environmentalists from Zagora welcome this decision and call for also banning the cultivation of watermelon in their region, where water stress is more worrying and tends towards a situation of chronic shortage.