Creation of agricultural startups for Tunisian youth
Youth unemployment, particularly among graduates of higher education institutions, is one of the major problems facing Tunisia. At the same time, economic disparities between rural and urban areas and between the northern coastal areas and those in the southwest keep widening. Agriculture is the mainstay of rural areas in Tunisia. However, climate change-induced drought conditions are becoming prevalent in the country resulting in issues like decreased agricultural yields, land degradation and water scarcity. Farming is essential for livelihoods in the country’s rural areas, as well as food security. Significant progress in economic growth, poverty reduction and food security can be achieved in Tunisia, particularly, in rural areas by developing human and productive capacities of the agricultural sector and enhancing its contribution to overall economic and social development.
The project will target the Hammamet area of Nabeul Governorate in northern Tunisia, where youth unemployment is particularly acute during periods when tourism is low, resulting in economic hardship and social instability. The main goal of the project is to create job opportunities for young people and smallholder farmers in the Hammamet area through the development of sustainable value chains of high-value and climate-resilient crops (quinoa, sorghum, almond, pistachio) which tolerate marginal conditions and require less water and thus enable the Hammamet area to adapt to the adverse effects of climate change, land degradation, and water scarcity.
Climate Change Impacts and Management
Dr. Henda Mahmoudi (hmj@biosaline.org.ae)
Local authorities, women’s associations and farmers’ organizations, as well as relevant private sector actors