Hassan Benmehdi, writing in the on-line journal Magharebia points to the disappearance of oasis in the Saharan zone of Morocco.
For centuries, oases have played a major role in the history of Morocco despite unfavourable climatic conditions. They constitute rare phenomena that long ago developed into a model of long-term sustainable exploitation of natural resources.
However, the Saharan phenomena are currently endangered and threatened with disappearance if negative conditions persist. The conditions that are killing off the oasis areas have raised the alarm for urgent and effective measures to be taken to save and promote them. Minister for Land, Water and Environmental Development Mohamed El Yazghi recognises the scale of the problem.
Outlining the national plan to save the oases, which will be implemented this year around Tafilalet, he explained that oases deserved to be restored.
"The strategy adopted to develop the oases rests on three main independent criteria: optimisation of the use of the available resources, progressive moves towards a more traditional agricultural model and the development of a national oasis tourism strategy," said El Yazghi, adding that "the overexploitation of water resources is endangering the future of oasis areas and this situation will deteriorate further in the case of a lack of rainfall".
El Yazghi's plan consists of controlling the management of the water shortage and reducing wastage, reducing demographic pressure and making the most of human resources. A traditional farming system will also be set up to ensure that the government is involved in managing resources to diversify the economy and to promote employment through the development of integrated rural centres.
Link to the full story: Moroccan OasesTags: Morocco Fes, Maghreb news
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