Comprehensive Inventory and Strategic Analysis of Tunisian Policies and Institutional Programs for Scaling Climate-Resilient Agriculture

Abstract

Tunisia stands at the critical nexus of two existential challenges: acute water scarcity and the accelerating impacts of climate change. As a result, the resilience of its vital food, land, and water systems has become a national security and development priority. The agricultural sector, which remains a cornerstone of the national economy and rural livelihoods, is disproportionately vulnerable to rising temperatures, prolonged droughts, and desertification, threatening the stability of its most marginalized communities. In response, the Tunisian government has articulated a robust and ambitious policy agenda. This agenda, characterized by long-term strategies such as the Stratégie pour l’Aménagement et la Conservation des Terres Agricoles (ACTA) à l’horizon 2050 and the Plan National d’Adaptation (NAP), is designed to systematically integrate climate resilience, ecological sustainability, and inclusive growth. Critically, these national frameworks create a clear and compelling pathway for the institutionalization and scaling of climate-smart innovations. This brief is based on a structured review of Tunisia’s national strategies, sectoral policies, and donor-supported programs related to agriculture, climate adaptation, water management, and rural development. The analysis applied a demand-signal framework, mapping policies to the five CGIAR Impact Areas with the aim to identify priority entry points for evidence-based research, technical assistance, and innovation. The review focused primarily on key documents from the Ministry of Agriculture, Hydraulic Resources and Fisheries (MARHP) and programs co-funded by major international partners (EU, IFAD, AFD, GIZ). This policy brief provides a Comprehensive Inventory and Strategic Analysis of the key Tunisian policies and institutional programs across all five CGIAR Impact Areas. It translates the formal policy language into concrete "demand signals" for international research and development partners. We move beyond identifying what policies exist to pinpointing where and how targeted technical assistance and evidence-based innovations can successfully unlock the implementation of these ambitious national goals. The core finding is that the implementation challenge is not policy design, but rather the need for targeted technical assistance to overcome institutional fragmentation and simplify access to available finance for smallholder farmers, women, and youth. The following sections detail the strategic alignment of Tunisian policies with specific CGIAR Impact Areas and conclude with three high-leverage recommendations for maximizing partner impact in scaling climate-resilient agriculture.