Mauritania watermelon.

Publié par ⵉⵎⴻⴷⴷⵓⴽⴰⵍ ⵏ ⵊⴻⵕⵊⴻⵕ sur 4 Juillet 2024, 15:52pm

Catégories : #Communication, #Action

Last spring, European supermarkets saw watermelons from Mauritania appear for the first time. This novelty aroused astonishment, because Mauritania, characterized by a desert climate over most of its territory, was not known for its production of watermelons. Historically, its agriculture developed around crops adapted to climatic realities and water availability such as sorghum, millet, corn and rice, grown along the Senegal River.

This sudden incursion of watermelon on the European market had prompted questions about the reasons which led Mauritania to diversify its production. An online survey that we quickly conducted revealed a link with the situation in Morocco, which was facing one of the most serious droughts in its history. To deal with this crisis, Morocco had to take drastic measures, including limiting watermelon cultivation. Faced with this constraint, Moroccan producers made the decision to migrate to Mauritania, taking with them their know-how, their resources and their workforce. A new “Eldorado”?

However, this migration presents significant environmental and economic consequences. Investors, motivated by their economic interests, seem little concerned about the impacts on the environment or on local Mauritanian communities. The financial benefits for the country seem minimal, while transport costs and customs taxes add to the balance. It is important to emphasize that this production, out of season, is intended entirely for export to Europe.

This situation highlights the common challenges facing North African countries in agricultural matters. Individual agricultural policies are not enough to meet these challenges. There is an urgent need to establish regional cooperation and a common agricultural policy to address the ongoing climatic and geopolitical upheavals.

It is imperative to overcome our differences and work together to develop sustainable, complementary and united economic strategies. Only open and taboo-free dialogue will make it possible to find effective solutions for the future of our nations in the face of looming challenges.

Entrez, c'est tout vert!

Boukhalfa Boukantar (1963-2017)

Commenter cet article