Climate change: 56.11 million euros to help 5 Governorate

The Program “Adaptation to climate change in vulnerable areas in Bizerte, Kef, Siliana, Kairouan and Sidi Bouzid” was started in October, with funding of 56.11 million euros, to contribute to sustainable development in the economic, environmental and social areas, in these regions.

Action areas were selected on the basis of criteria relating to the levels of economic and social deterioration, the excessive exploitation of natural resources and their isolation, as explained by the General Director of the development and conservation of agricultural land.

The program, planned over six years, aims to improve infrastructure, promote the development of agriculture and income generating initiatives, preserve water and soil resources through the establishment of a platform for dialogue between the various stakeholders and through the drafting of land use plans and plans in these areas.

According to the General Director, this program will benefit 40 thousand inhabitants in the affected areas and will cover 70 thousand hectares.

The program responds to current and real issues faced by Tunisia due to climate change (floods, droughts, torrential rains …), as noted by the Director of the French Development Agency (AFD), Gilles Chausse.

The Minister of Agriculture, Water Resources and Fisheries of Tunisia, Samir Taieb, after a strategic study on the management and conservation of agricultural land, said that climate change and lack of governance in the sector could weaken the organic matter in the soil to less than 1% and reduce water resources by 15% in 2030. The study also showed that nearly 180,000 hectares of forests in the north could disappear in addition to the 10.5 million hectares of farmland threatened by erosion, landslides and flooding.