Morocco: calls to ban watermelon cultivation

In Morocco, environmental defenders are calling for a total ban on the cultivation of watermelon, which consumes a lot of water.

“Watermelon farming consumes enormous amounts of water, putting a lot of pressure on water resources in the southeast,” says an environmental activist, saying that relying on Seasonal rainfall is not enough to justify the continuation of this type of agriculture. According to him, reducing cultivated areas is not a sufficient solution. Worse, the drought the region is suffering from is strongly linked to the expansion of watermelon cultivation in recent years, he notes. He then calls for a total ban on watermelon cultivation in order to ensure the sustainability of the water table in the affected regions, such as Tata, Zagora, Ouarzazate, Tinghir, Errachidia and Figuig.