Tunisia: Adapting to Climate Change in the Agricultural Sector

GTZ was the main implementor of this project, which consisted of analysis and development of a report and plan. The Tunisian agencies in charge of the project are the Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources and the General Directorate of Agricultural Studies and Development. Over the course of three conferences and 12 working meetings, the three agencies, along with the help of numerous Ministries and NGOs, produced a report on the impacts of climate change on the landscape and human activities, especially agriculture. The final product of the project is a National Adaptation Strategy containing detailed proposals and criteria for the authorities on adaptation to climate change and the specific measures which must now be implemented. Some of the measures the Strategy recommends are appointment of an interministerial National Climate Council to improve the coordination of measures for adaptation to climate change; promotion of interdisciplinary climate research and development of appropriate training programmes; broader-based collection of climate and water resource data to improve the quality of forecasting; better enforcement of existing water and agricultural ordinances; introduction of insurance services for climate-related damage in agriculture, with a particular focus on small farmers; assistance with the restructuring of farms that are affected by climate change; and development of a climate label for agricultural products which are particularly resilient to the impacts of climate change.