The city of Fallahiya, located in northern Ahwaz, has witnessed a significant decline in the number of date palm trees, dropping to fewer than 3 million compared to more than 7 million in past decades.
This sharp decrease is attributed to Iran’s policies, which include diverting the waters of Ahwaz’s rivers into the Persian interior.
As a result, farmland has dried up, orchards have perished, and soil salinity levels have increased, directly impacting date palm cultivation and land fertility.
Date palm farming has long been the primary livelihood for Fallahiya’s residents, with thousands of families relying on it as a main source of income.
However, with ongoing water shortages and climate challenges, the city now faces an agricultural crisis that poses serious economic and social risks in the long run.
According to a local farmer, Ahwaz’s farmlands especially palm groves have suffered massive destruction, with nearly 20 million date palms dying across the region.
He added: “We are suffering from a severe water shortage, which threatens the entire agricultural and livestock wealth.
Farmers are losing their crops and animals, and the land is turning into desert.”
Residents affirm that the acute water shortage has not only endangered date palms but also devastated livestock, with large numbers of cattle dying due to parched pastures, alongside unprecedented declines in agricultural yields.
Once-thriving farmlands have turned into barren areas plagued by soil erosion and dwindling biodiversity, exacerbating the living and economic hardships of the local population.
Agricultural experts and observers warn that this decline represents a serious developmental alarm that requires urgent strategic interventions.
These include improving water resource management, providing technical support to farmers, and rehabilitating degraded farmlands to revive the date palm sector and preserve this vital agricultural heritage in Fallahiya.
The future of date palm cultivation in Fallahiya remains tied to the ability of concerned authorities to address the environmental and economic crises threatening this crucial sector and to ensure its sustainability for the benefit of the region’s residents and future generations.
