Recent reports from Moroccan media have revealed that the Israeli entity is no longer the sole threat to the water security of the Moroccan people. The Moroccan regime has reportedly granted a UAE-based group the green light to exploit this vital resource through an avocado farming project, at a time when the kingdom is already facing significant water stress due to such export-oriented agricultural practices.
These sources confirmed that the project will take place in the Sidi Yahya region and will involve the cultivation of avocados alongside blueberries and mandarins over an area of approximately 400 hectares. This development comes as many cities across the kingdom experience frequent interruptions in drinking water supply, compounded by a scorching summer characterized by a severe "thirst crisis."
The regime, in partnership with its allies, seems to be conspiring against its own people by depleting Morocco's water wealth and neglecting the dire consequences of such agricultural practices on the country's water resources and the lives of its citizens. Experts in the agricultural sector emphasize that avocado production projects pose a "real danger" to this vital resource in Morocco, especially as the phenomenon of drought currently threatens the nation.
Numerous Moroccan organizations have issued warnings against this type of foreign investment, asserting that it not only jeopardizes the country's water security but also its food security. The cultivation of avocados leads to soil degradation, which may contribute to a decline in the reclaimed land that constitutes about 12 percent of the country's total area. Furthermore, this green fruit is considered an alien addition to Morocco's agricultural activities.
Moroccan human rights activists have pointed out that while international efforts to protect water resources are intensifying, Morocco has chosen to go against the tide by prioritizing profit-driven agriculture, even as the drought spreads across its lands. Experts have also issued warnings about the continuous threat to social peace in the country amid the worsening water crisis. It is worth noting that avocado farming consumes water that could otherwise benefit other crops.
Many countries, particularly those facing water scarcity, have halted avocado farming due to its negative impacts on water security, especially in light of current climate changes and unprecedented rainfall shortages.
As reported by entv.dz.
