New for watermelon cultivation in Morocco

The governor of Zagora province, Morocco, recently made a decision to regulate the cultivation of red watermelon and yellow, in order to preserve water resources. This measure, which restricts cultivable areas and prohibits cultivation in certain areas, comes after significant rainfall and flooding which replenished the water table and the dams.

If this decision was welcomed by farmers, who see it as a fair and necessary measure for the local economy, it is far from unanimous. Youssef Afaadas, from the Union of Democratic Organization of Small Farmers in Zagora, interviewed by Al3omkunderlines that this regulation, already put in place the previous year, has borne fruit. He points out that watermelon cultivation, which only lasts six months, consumes less water than other crops. In addition, it boosts the local economy and creates jobs, which are particularly important after the droughts which hit the region and undermined the cultivation of dates, the main source of income.