date palm
Matilde Gattoni
The world’s oases are on the front lines of the existential fight against climate change. Limited rainfall and rising heat are dramatically impacting these unique ecosystems and the cultures they sustain. Morocco lost two-thirds of its oases (green, fertile areas in the desert) in just one century.
Local people seek water in the desert
Matilde Gattoni
Make your way to the town of Muhamid El Ghizran, your last stop before the vast, arid Sahara Desert. Here, locals beg the desert for water (pictured above). Dressed in white robes, they regularly gather on the edge of the desert to chant ancestral chants calling for an end to the drought and restoration of life to the land.
Droughts have always been a part of life here, but they were once intermittent, allowing people to stockpile food and water to survive the dry spells. But the oasis that sustains the community has shrunk in recent decades, with palm trees scorched and centuries of culture and tradition threatened.
Villagers feed their camels with herbs from the dry riverbed of the Draa River.
Matilde Gattoni
The town’s economy has traditionally been supported by date palms (main photo) and camel farming (top photo), but with these livelihoods at risk, many people are moving to nearby cities. are. Those who remain often make a living from tourism. Former farmers turned self-taught guides, they offer visitors desert exploration and tea ceremonies (pictured below). glimpse A life that persists despite difficulties.
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Source: www.newscientist.com
