Why Morocco’s king has banned sheep for Eid

For millions of Moroccans, Eid al-Adha means quality time with your family, eating delicious food - and the tradition of sacrificing sheep. But this year, the king of Morocco, Mohammed VI, has banned the practice because of a seven-year drought in the country. Dry pastures have meant that the number of sheep herds has dropped sharply, while the cost of meat rises. King Mohammed says the ban is necessary to prevent “significant harm” to families struggling with high prices - but not all Moroccans are happy with the restriction of their religious practices.

Basma El Atti, a Moroccan journalist based in Rabat, explains why Eid al-Adha is such an important festival and talks us through the reasons for the ban. And BBC Monitoring journalist Samia Hosny tells us more about the long-lasting drought in the region and how it’s affecting daily life there. And we hear from young Moroccans celebrating Eid about what they think of the ban.

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworldEmail: [email protected]: +44 330 12 33 22 6Presenter: Hannah GelbartProducers: Chelsea Coates, Emilia Jansson, Rosabel Crean and Mora MorrisonEditor: Emily Horler

What in the World

Helping you make sense of what’s happening in your world. Big stories, small stories and everything in between. Understand more, feel better. Five days a week, Monday to Friday.

• No. of episodes: 516
• Latest episode: 2025-07-15
• News

Where can you listen?