(3 minutes read)
· Morocco, particularly the Southwestern region, is in the grip of a severe water shortage, more due to manmade reasons.
· Farmers are complaining that their livelihood is at stake after the water was cut off by the dam, affecting crops of all hues like the citrus fruits, beans and an assortment of vegetables grown in the terrains
Morocco, particularly the Southwestern region, is in the grip of a severe water shortage, more due to manmade reasons. While moving through the tract, one can see dead trees and parched fields denied watering for a while. The reason is not far to seek. People converted the agricultural land into households. The net result is the drought continuously affecting the region’s farming for the last few years. The local dam has run almost dry.
Farmers are complaining that their livelihood is at stake after the water was cut off by the dam, affecting crops of all hues like the citrus fruits, beans and an assortment of vegetables grown in the terrains. There are few wells spotted across the region. But the water is not enough to irrigate the parched land. With the drought, the authorities have cut off water for irrigation purposes to meet the growing demand from the households for drinking water. Among the restricted places for watering are golf courses and hotel gardens to ensure that there is enough drinking water.
Morocco has been facing acute drought for the last three years. The water reserves attached to the dams and other water bodies have been dried up, which many fee,l are unprecedented in the recent past. Agriculture accounts for nearly 15 percent of Morocco’s Gross Domestic Product, ahead of tourism and industry. Because of this, main crops like citrus fruits and seasonal vegetables will be severely affected. The North African country has sizeable exports of these products.
