BIOREST - Support for the development of sustainable and resilient organic agriculture in the context of climate change in Tunisia

By promoting the climate-smart agriculture approach, organic agriculture in Tunisia becomes a driver of sustainable and inclusive territorial development. Thus organic agriculture will contribute to the resilience of agricultural systems to climate change, creating decent jobs for the rural population and food security in Tunisia.

FiBL is a strategic partner and supports the project with technical expertise.

Target group

• Ultimate beneficiaries: Tunisian citizens, especially those living in the most vulnerable areas in terms of climate and rural poverty, and consumers of organic products.
• Direct beneficiaries: governmental structures in charge of organic agriculture at national and regional levels, inter-professional groups and organic farmers and breeders.
• Indirect beneficiaries: the intervention also reaches certification bodies and research institutes related to livestock and agronomy.

Medium-term effects

The production, management and control of sustainable organic agriculture in Tunisia are improved by the inclusion of climate-smart agriculture criteria.

Main expected results

1. The Directorate General for Organic Agriculture offers reliable services to organic operators in control, traceability, supervision and promotion.
2. The official organic laboratory offers accredited analyses to organic operators.
3. Organic producers' organisations and their support services ensure the management of organic production systems with a gender-sensitive approach.
4. Organic farmers apply more sustainable natural resource management with a focus on water and the carbon cycle, strengthening the resilience of organic farming systems to climate change.
5. Organic farmers manage well-functioning professional organisations.
6. The sustainability and overall visibility of the project is promoted.

• Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC)

Contract partner

• Organisation des Nations Unies pour l'Alimentation et l'Agriculture (FAO), Bureau Sous-Régional pour l’Afrique du Nord

National partner

• Direction Générale de l'Agriculture Biologique (DGAB)

• Union Tunisienne de l’Agriculture et de la Pêche (UTAP)

• Centre Technique de l'Agriculture Biologique (CTAB)

• Union Nationale des Opérateurs Bio (UNOBIO)

• Eisenring Tobias (Department of International Cooperation)

• Kuhn Anton (Department of Soil Sciences)
• Meinshausen Florentine (Department of International Cooperation)
• Nicolay Gian L. (Department of International Cooperation)
• Weidmann Gilles (Department of Extension, Training & Communication)
• Wiget Andrea (Department of Soil Sciences)
• Willer Helga (Department of Extension, Training & Communication)

Consultancy (strategic partner)

• eda.admin.ch: Project description (in French)

• Advisory tools (Department of Extension, Training & Communication, FiBL Switzerland)
• Nutrient Management & Symbiosis (Department of Soil Sciences, FiBL Switzerland)
• Policy & Sector Development (Department of International Cooperation, FiBL Switzerland)
• Project communication (Department of Extension, Training & Communication, FiBL Switzerland)
• Value chains & Markets (Department of International Cooperation, FiBL Switzerland)