In celebration of the Tunisian National Agriculture Day 2025, which is themed “Smart Agriculture for Food Sovereignty,” the Minister of Agriculture, Water Resources and Fisheries, Azzedine Ben Cheikh, announced a number of new projects that fall within a participatory approach which includes various other sectors, most notably the Ministries of Scientific Research, Higher Education, National Defense and Environment. Among these projects are pilot projects linked to cooperation with several donors to control the management of surface and groundwater resources and improve the use of irrigated areas using advanced modern technologies. In this regard, he pointed out:
First, the rain-seeding program, implemented in cooperation with the Ministries of National Defense and Transport, which was the first pilot in the Sidi Salem Dam basin on April 16, 2025.
Second, a program to reduce evaporation in cooperation with the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research.
Third, a digital platform to assist in decision-making for timely management of water resources, in cooperation with the Ministry of Communication Technologies.
Fourth, updating the bioclimatic floor map, as well as shifting toward renewable energy to control production costs and water diversion.
DARAL II Mountain Lakes Agricultural Development Project: Water Resources Create Sustainable Development
In this regard, the Minister expressed his keen interest in the success of the DARAL II Mountain Lakes Agricultural Development Project which is currently being implemented by Dorsch Impact in a joint venture with SCET Tunisie. This project aims to achieve agricultural and rural development around small water facilities in the governorates of Jendouba, Siliana and Kasserine, through integrated and sustainable management of natural resources. He stressed that it is a real opportunity to create sustainable agricultural development in the governorates, as long as it includes the rational management of natural and water resources through their valuation and storage.
It's worth noting that the DARAL II project is an opportunity to help farmers withstand climate change, given that mountain lakes are a national resource that contributes to providing water resources for agricultural lands and employment opportunities for stakeholders, in addition to the basic services and roads the project will provide. According to the German consulting company Dorsch Impact, the project will benefit approximately 13,000 people, enabling them to improve their living conditions and creating approximately 1,300 jobs.
The DARAL II Mountain Lakes Agricultural Development Project was recently launched, funded by the German Development Bank KfW and the European Union, through a grant totaling €38 million. The initial phase covered the governorates of Kairouan, Sidi Bouzid, and Kasserine, and will expand to other governorates, including Siliana, Jendouba, and Kasserine.
The first phase of this agricultural project, DARAL I, which created significant momentum in the targeted areas, was supervised by the General Directorate for Development and Conservation of Agricultural Lands at the Ministry of Agriculture, also in cooperation with Dorsch Impact Tunisia and the Consulting office SCET Tunisie.
