El Guerdane Commune (Taroudant Province) – After years of drought severely impacting farmers in El Guerdane, in the Taroudant Province, and significantly affecting agricultural production, hope is being restored following recent rains that have revitalized the lands and promise a fruitful agricultural season.
Like other areas in the province, the El Guerdane commune has benefitted from substantial rainfall, which is expected to have a positive effect on various crops, especially citrus fruits and other produce that have suffered in recent years from persistent drought.
These rains are expected to enhance soil fertility, promote winter crops, and refill water reserves, an essential factor for the sustainability of agricultural activity. They suggest good harvests for the upcoming season.
For M’barek Nait Ali, a farmer in El Guerdane, the recent rains have renewed hope among the population and farmers, promising a good yield of citrus fruits and other produce in particular.
Mr. Nait Ali shared with MAP that these rains have alleviated the pressure on farmers and rekindled optimism following a difficult period marked by a scarcity of groundwater and ongoing drought, which had forced many to reduce their cultivated land.
He added that the rains have also had a positive impact on fruit trees, particularly citrus and olive trees, as they promote blooming and improve the quality of the harvest.
At one of the many farms in the region, Abdelilah Moutawakkil, an agricultural worker, does not hide his satisfaction after the beneficial recent rains.
Citrus trees have suffered, he says, in recent years due to low yields from lack of water, leaving workers in the sector in a prolonged state of waiting.
For him, the recent rains are revitalizing the agricultural lands in the El Guerdane area after several years of drought, and provide hope of salvaging what remains of the agricultural season.
Farmers in the region are hopeful that the rains will continue in the coming weeks. This is crucial, they say, to solidify water reserves and improve yields, particularly for citrus fruits, which are the pillars of the local agricultural economy.
These rains are expected to help restart the economic cycle and improve the living conditions of farmers and workers in the sector throughout the region.
Source MAP Ecology