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Problems for Moroccan date farmers - 31st March 2021

Figuig is a Moroccan town on the border with Algeria. The farmers here depend on dates. The dates grow on trees in Algeria. The farmers regularly travel into Algeria to collect the dates. Their grandparents planted many of the trees.

The border between Morocco and Algeria is closed. But Algeria usually lets the farmers into the country to take care of their trees. Now, that has changed.

Algeria has sent the army to the border. The soldiers won't let the farmers enter Algeria. Many people think Algeria has done this because of a disagreement about the Western Sahara.

The Western Sahara is a country which borders Morocco and Algeria. Morocco believes the Western Sahara is Moroccan land. 46 years ago, Morocco took over the Western Sahara.

The Sahrawi people have lived in Western Sahara for hundreds of years. They say the Western Sahara is their land. Many other countries also think the Western Sahara belongs to the Sahrawi. Algeria agrees with the Sahrawi.

This has caused problems between Algeria and Morocco. Now, there are new protests in the Western Sahara. These protests are affecting the Moroccan date farmers.

Date farming is the only way they can make money. But the argument between Algeria and Morocco is stopping them. The farmers need to reach their date trees.