Urgency of water and agricultural situation in Tunisia: Meeting at Carthage Palace

President of the Republic, Kaïs Saïed, held a meeting at the Carthage Palace on Monday, September 2, 2024, with Ezzeddine Ben Cheikh, Minister of Agriculture, Water Resources and Fisheries, and Hammadi Lahbib, Secretary of State for Water. During this meeting, several priority issues were examined, including the water situation, water resource management, and the issues of seeds and animal feed.

Inadequate distribution networks in question

President Kaïs Saïed firmly highlighted that Tunisia’s current water management crisis is not only due to the scarcity of rainfall or drought. According to him, this situation is largely due to the prolonged abandonment of distribution networks and dams and criminal acts aimed at exacerbating social tensions.

Judicial inquiries have revealed sabotage in several areas of the country, strangely coinciding with the approach of the presidential elections.

A plan to counter the monopoly on animal feed

The discussion likewise turned to the problem of the monopoly in the animal feed sector. The President noted the creation of the “Seed Law”, an initiative aimed at countering the control of the market by a small group of well-identified actors.

The primary purpose of this plan is to ensure the accomplishment of the objectives for which this institution was created, in particular the fight against speculation, the protection of the national livestock, and the regulation of prices, which have recently reached levels deemed unacceptable.

The preservation of local seeds: a strategic issue

Finally, Kaïs Saïed insisted on the importance of preserving local seeds, adapted to the natural conditions of Tunisia. He cautioned against importing foreign seeds, which, although they can offer rapid yields, risk subjecting Tunisian agriculture to a risky dependence on foreign actors. The President thus underlined the need to protect the country’s agricultural sovereignty by relying on indigenous seeds.

This meeting reflects the urgency of the situation and the determination of the Tunisian authorities to address water and agricultural challenges with sustainable and strategic solutions.