Promotion of sustainable agriculture and rural development in Tunisia: component 4: utilization of sewage sludge and waste water in agriculture

The German Technical Cooperation aims to support the agriculture sector at the macro, meso and micro levels through the “Promotion of sustainable agriculture and rural development in Tunisia” project.

AFC has been mandated to support the German Agency (GIZ) and the Ministry of Agriculture, Water Resources and Fisheries (MARHIP) in all aspects of implementation of the component.

• AFC has supported the development of strategies and actions to secure the agricultural use of sewage sludge and wastewater. Notably partnership agreements between GIZ and the Ministry (Department of Agricultural Production (DGPA), Department of Rural Engineering and Water Use (DGGREE), Agricultural Training and Extension Agency (AVFA), Tunis International Center for Environmental Technologies (CITET) and the National Sanitation Utility (ONAS)) were signed and implemented.

• Strengthening the capacities of farmers and institutional actors seeking to promote the use of agricultural sanitation products for fertilization and preservation of water reserves while securing processes to protect people in contact these products.
• AFC has established three filtration pilots that offer additional treatment of treated wastewater upstream of three irrigation schemes. The challenge was to select the sites with the DGGREE and in a participatory manner with stakeholders, to manage the procurement contracts corresponding to buildings and equipment and also to set up awareness raising activities with the farmers and the Groupements de Développement Agricole (GDA) and to support to the local organization of these players with the Regional Offices of Agriculture development (CRDA). The newly equipped perimeters are El Aguila in Gafsa, El Hamma in Gabes and Msaken in the Governorate of Sousse.

AFC collaborated with the DGPA for the construction of two sludge composting platforms in AVFA’s training centers in Kairouan and Medenine and the reception and enhancement of the platform of Sidi Thabet (previous GIZ funding). Accompanying activities included supervision of the agreement with CITET, training of the centres’ technicians, practical demonstrations and lectures on composting and supporting the preparation of new training modules around composting.

Also for sludge, AFC organized with the DGPA and the CRDA the seasonal campaigns for spreading sewage sludge in the fields and together they have set and achieved the implementation of an ambitious outreach program in 17 governorates. AFC also supported the introduction of mechanization by 2 mechanical sludge spreaders acquired by GIZ.