FAO strengthens capacity of Agriculture extension and training agency in Farmer Field Schools approach - September 2022

The FAO representation in Tunisia within the framework of the project "Improvement of water efficiency and productivity and its sustainability in the NENA region" organized a national training workshop on the methodology of Farmer Field Schools (FFS) in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture. Held from the 5th to the 9th ofSeptember, the training brought together about thirty extension workers from different governorates of the country, affiliated to the Agriculture Extension and Training Agency (AVFA). The main objective of this workshop was to familiarize the stakeholders with this extension approach and ultimately create a pool of national experts capable of conducting sessions and accompanying farmers in the implementation of agricultural best practices important to the development of their activities and the preservation of natural resources.

NENA ET-Network, regional Evapotranspiration Measurement Network expands - August 2022

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations established a regional evapotranspiration measurement network “NENA ET-Network” in eight countries of the NENA region in partnership with the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) (coordinating) and the University of Cordoba (Spain) supporting with the ET–Cordova instrument. The ET Network was launched in 2019 with 5 pilot countries (Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Jordan and Palestine). In each country a reference station has been selected where different instruments are used to measure the crop evapotranspiration and support the improvement of remote sensing based measurements. One of the standard instrument introduced in each reference station is the “ET-Cordova” a cost effective agro-meteo station completed with several sensors to enable automatic measurement and calculation of the real water consumption of crops (ETa). This affordable technology is designed to allow users to develop and maintain it themselves.

FAO raises awareness on the importance of water through the Water Caravan in Tunisia - July 2022

Under the “Every Drop Counts” campaign, the FAO representation in Tunisia has initiated the “Water Caravan” an awareness-raising activity that aims to introduce the general public (students, school children, farmers, policy-makers, etc.) to the concepts of water sustainability and the calculation of the indirect and direct water footprint. This activity is implemented under the regional project “Implementing the 2030 Agenda for water efficiency/ productivity and water sustainability in the Near East and North Africa countries”. The Caravan was launched in the margins of the World Water Day annual celebration on the 22nd of March 2022 and have been travelling across the country’s governorates ever since, reaching different publics, promoting simple actions adapted to each audience with the aim of preserving this rare and precious resource. 

FAO supports the establishment of a master's degree in water productivity in Tunisia- July 2022

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations  (FAO) in Tunisia has supported the establishment of a master's degree in water productivity through a partnership between the National Agronomic Institute of Tunisia and the Office of Planning and Hydraulic Balances (BPEH) of the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), Hydraulic Resources and Maritime Fishing. This master’s degree is the first of its kind in the Mediterranean region, and aims to strengthen the capacities and enrich the practical skills of professionals operating in the sectors of water management and agricultural production so that they can integrate the concepts of water productivity, efficiency and sustainability in their work.

FAO in the International Conference on Soil and Water Resources Management to Combat Desertification in Drylands - June 2022

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) representation in Tunisia has contributed to the organization of the International Conference on Soil and Water Resources Management to Combat Desertification in Drylands (SWDCC) 2022 by the Institute of Arid Regions of Medenine from 14 to 17 June 2022 in the island of Djerda. 200 participants coming mainly from the Near East and North Africa (NENA) region, attended the conference with the main aim of presenting, defending and discussing their research work around the five themes of the conference:

FAO supports the institutionalization of water accounting in Tunisia - June 2022

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) representation in Tunisia organized a national workshop on water accounting and auditing (water governance) from 21st  to 23rd  May 2022 with the main objective of presenting the water accounting and auditing analyses of the Mejerda River. The three-day workshop was attended by 65 participants including members of the national water accounting team from the Ministry of Agriculture and its regional agricultural development commissariats.

FAO is supporting the update of the Irrigation Management mobile application of the Institute of Field Crops in Tunisia - October 2021

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in Tunisia supported the Tunisian National Institute of Field Crops (INGC) to update the mobile irrigation management application "Irey". Dedicated for Tunisian cereal growers, this application allows farmers to register for an online platform and thereby receive personalized notifications and recommendations concerning irrigation periods and the quantities required.

Also available in FRENCH.

Water accounting process is ongoing at the strategic basin of the Medjerda in Tunisia - September 2021

September 2021 - FAO in Tunisia has supported the Ministry of Agriculture, Hydraulic Resources and Fisheries in setting up a multidisciplinary team specializing in water accounting. This national team will be responsible for carrying out the water accounting exercise in a sub-basin of the Medjerda.

Also available in ARABIC and FRENCH.

FAO Story: Mohamed Mouldi “I have better control over my olive plot thanks to FAO’s Farmer Field Schools.- July 2021

Seeing as it was not possible to go back to school to learn how to better manage my plot of olive trees, it is the school that came to me " said Mohamed Mouldi, an olive farmer in El Ksour's delegation in Kairouan, a governorate located in the center of the country and a member of the Farmers Field Schools implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) since 2019, under the regional Water Efficiency, Productivity and Sustainability project.

Also available in ARABIC.

FAO supports a new startup that facilitates market access for small farmers and Tunisian artisans - June 2021

“We imagined a platform that connects small scale women farmers and artisans, that helps them better handle problems related to water and irrigation and gives them a better chance to access formal markets,” said Marwa and Saoussen, two successful Tunisian students, who were among the winners of the Hackathon organized during a Regional conference held by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).