Tunisian oases : a case study to assess agricultural vulnerability to climate change

Tunisian oases : a case study to assess agricultural vulnerability to climate change

The Tunisia oasis ecosystem has been identified by the ClimaSouth project as the target for a case study to assess the vulnerability to climate change in the agricultural sector. This was the main outcome of a mission carried out from 1 to 4 May by the ClimaSouth team leader and the adaptation expert. The mission was conducted with the close collaboration of  the project’s National Focal Point and other key stakeholders from the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Agriculture, the National Meteorological institute, the Forestry department as well as a range of professionals from the water sector. 

Oases cover about 41,000 ha of Tunisia’s land area and are home to 10% of the country’s population.  In Southern Tunisia, oases are the main source of employment and income, offering high-value agricultural products, in particular dates.  Climate change induced modifications in weather and rainfall patterns, are likely to cause potentially negative impacts on agricultural production, affecting both the quantity and quality of dates production.

The ClimaSouth initiative will support the elaboration of a guide to carry out vulnerability assessments in the agricultural field, using the oasis ecosystem as a case study.  It will also assist in constituting and developing a pool of national experts, originating from the public administration, universities and research centers, to carry out such vulnerability assessments of the Tunisian agricultural sector.