Persistent droughts and mounting water scarcity are placing severe pressure on Tunisia’s agricultural sector, forcing farmers from the north to the south to fundamentally adapt their land management practices.
In the arid regions around Gabès, smallholders are increasingly abandoning water-intensive modern farming techniques in favor of drought-resistant native seeds, micro-irrigation, and traditional rainwater harvesting methods. Local growers are exchanging indigenous crop varieties that naturally withstand climate extremes, moving away from agricultural models that rely heavily on chemical fertilizers and large volumes of water.
In desert farming areas such as Menzel Habib, agricultural operations are combining modern drip irrigation with ancient subterranean cisterns to store rainwater, enabling some farmers to independently meet up to three-quarters of their water needs. However, while these localized techniques offer immediate relief, they are struggling to counteract a national water crisis that continues to depress crop yields, drive up production costs, and threaten sensitive environments like the historic coastal oasis of Gabès. Experts emphasize that individual adaptation must be scaled up into a comprehensive national strategy—focusing on water-efficient infrastructure, seed preservation, and sustainable resource governance—to protect Tunisia’s food security and rural livelihoods.
MK/AK/Sf/lb/abj/APA