Morocco Restricts Watermelon Farming Amid Severe Drought Crisis

The Moroccan government has taken measures to limit watermelon production in order to rationalize water use in critical areas. In Zagora, one of the main producing provinces of this water-intensive crop, the governor has taken a decision limiting the maximum authorized areas for watermelon cultivation to one hectare, according to Morocco World News, specifying that this decision was announced on the sidelines of a meeting held at the administration headquarters on October 18, 2023. The cultivation of all types of watermelons in the areas near drinking water pumping fields defined by the local committees is also affected by this restrictive measure.

What about the designated areas? They include drinking water supply facilities and the banks of the Draa along the oases, in addition to the riverbeds. For effective implementation of the measure, the local authorities have set up committees responsible for monitoring the amount of water extracted for irrigation and monitoring the state of water resources. These committees also have the mission of taking legal action against those who violate the restrictions.

In January, the wali of the Guelmim-Oued Noun region had banned the cultivation of watermelon and melon on the territory of the province of Guelmim due to the drying up of water sources and the drop in the water table. This decision followed the circular from the Ministry of the Interior inviting the territorial administration agents to take measures to rationalize the consumption of drinking water.

In its reports, the World Bank classifies Morocco among the countries with the lowest water resources per capita. In 2015, the country’s average water resources per capita were only 645 cubic meters per year, far from the "water poverty threshold" of 1,000 cubic meters per capita.