Ex-Ante Impact Assessment of water policy reform in Southeastern of Tunisia:: A CGE Approach

Located in the South-East of Tunisia, the Medenine governorate is characterised by an arid climate.The water scarcity was accentuated by the growing demand from different economic sectors. Therebythe inter-sectorial competition for water, mainly between tourism and agriculture, presents a majorproblem. This area of socio-economic and geopolitical interest has profited from various programmesof development; in particular, multiple water policy reforms. Despite of the early public intervention,since 80s, the ex-ante integrated impact assessment (IIA) of water policies reform needs more investigationin Tunisian arid regions. Using a Computable general equilibrium model we have assessed the economywideimpact of water policies reform that consists of providing higher quantity water to the differenteconomic sectors. The central aims are to outline the Social Accounting Matrix (SAM) building procedure,describe the policy options and present the preliminary results. Model results show that providing morenon-conventional water to tourism and agriculture sectors has positive impacts on regional economy.Meanwhile, the results should be analysed with caution given the various limitations of the work thatshould be enhanced. This work was carried out in the framework of Land Use Policies and SustainableDevelopment on developing countries (LUPIS) project (Reidsma et al., 2011).Localizada no sudeste da Tunísia, o território Medenine é caracterizado por um clima árido. A escassez de água foi acentuada pela crescente demanda de diferentes setores econômicos. A competição inter-setorial pela água, principalmente entre o turismo e a agricultura, representa um grande problema. Esta área de interesse socioeconômico e geopolítico foi alvo de diversos programas de desenvolvimento, em particular várias reformas na política da água. Apesar da intervenção pública já nos anos 1980, a avaliação integrada ex-ante de impacto (IIA) da reforma da política da água necessita de mais atenção em regiões áridas da Tunísia. Usando um modelo de equilíbrio geral computacional foi avaliado o impacto em toda a economia, resultante da reforma das políticas de água, que consistem em fornecer maior quantidade de água para os diferentes setores econômicos. Os objetivos centrais foram delinear um procedimento de construção de uma Social Accounting Matrix (SAM), descrever as opções políticas e apresentar os resultados preliminares. Os resultados do modelo mostram que o fornecimento de água segundo práticas não-convencionais para setores do turismo e da agricultura tem um impacto positivo na economia regional. Os resultados devem ser analisados com cautela, dada as várias limitações do trabalho que devem ser superadas. Este trabalho foi realizado no âmbito do Projeto Políticas de Uso da Terra e Desenvolvimento Sustentável em Países em Desenvolvimento (Lupis) (Reidsma et al., 2011)

Efficiency of Crop–Livestock Production Systems Under Conservation Agriculture: Scope for sustainable system transformation to Achieving Food Security in Rain-Fed Drylands of Tunisia

The objective of this study is to evaluate the technical efficiency of farmers engaged in mixed crop–livestock systems under conservation agriculture (CLCA) in Tunisian rainfed areas who are using Resource-Conserving Technologies (RCTs) such as forage mixture, minimum and zero tillage, and small machinery

Coping Strategies and Perceived Effects in Response to Climate Shock Exposure: Household resiliency toward food insecurity related to drought in central Tunisian rural communities

Climate change exacerbated droughts by making them more frequent that increased risks of food insecurity faced by rural families in arid areas. Adopting coping mechanisms are necessary to reduce the vulnerability of rural agricultural communities and enhance their resilience to climate change. The main objectives of this paper are i) to assess effectiveness of the adopted coping strategies in rural areas by measuring resilience properties of household livelihoods and ii) to identify their key drivers. we will measure. A cross-sectional survey among 671 sample households was conducted in Kairouan and Zaghouan. To understand the key drivers of each livelihood coping strategy and compare different livelihood strategies we used an updated version of we used and updated the resilience analysis framework. A special attention was given understand how household-level characteristics correspond to household coping strategies towards an identification and assessment of the coping mechanisms adopted by farmers to mitigate the impact of drought on their livelihood and food security. Results showed income and food access, assets possession, access to basic services, adaptive capacity, and social safety nets have positive and significant effect on farm households’ resilience to food insecurity. Climate change and stability have a negative and significant effects. This could be due to the negative effect of the climate change especially drought on the household resilience

Efficiency of Crop–Livestock Production Systems Under Conservation Agriculture: Scope for Sustainable System Transformation in Rain-Fed Drylands of Tunisia

Presentation on “Efficiency of Crop–Livestock Production Systems Under Conservation Agriculture: Scope for Sustainable System Transformation in Rain-Fed Drylands of Tunisia” delivered during the International Symposium LESOR'2022 (Djerba-Tunisia, 23-25 November 2022

Assessing complementary synergies for integrated crop–livestock systems under conservation agriculture in Tunisian dryland farming systems

The aim of this paper is twofold. The first objective is to measure the technical efficiency of mixed crop-livestock (CL) smallholder producers operating under conservation agriculture systems in Tunisian rainfed areas. The second objective is to explore complementarities, synergies, and economies of diversification across the different production system components of these crop-livestock producers using the cross-partial derivative framework of output variables in the distance function. A simple random sampling process was employed to select and survey 59 CL smallholders operating under conservation agriculture. The collected data were analyzed using a stochastic input distance function in which synergies were estimated based on the second cross-partial derivative concept of output variables in the distance function. Results show that technical inefficiencies are significant in integrated crop-livestock systems, and there is evidence that economic diversification provides a productivity buffer against climate change threats. As a sustainable intensification strategy, this integrated system also offers a potential advantage. The results further contribute to the debate on crop diversification vs. specialization. Although an enhanced system integration could be a financially and ecologically viable option for mixed crop-livestock systems, more pathways for profitable and viable diversification of cereal-based or orchard-based systems remain to be explored

Generation of Potential Sites for Sustainable Water Harvesting Techniques in Oum Zessar Watershed, South East Tunisia

Water harvesting techniques (WHTs) are important climate change adaptation measures to better manage rainwater for domestic and agricultural purposes, but which WHT to plan where is subject to sustainability considerations. Moreover, suitability of different WHTs varies from one location to another, depending on physical and socio-economic conditions. This study aimed to identify suitable sites for WHTs taking into account stakeholders’ sustainability criteria. In a participatory assessment framework, Geographic Information Systems and the “Simple Multi-Attribute Rating Technique” were combined to generate suitability maps and to guide sustainable WHTs investments. Steps included the calculation of a sustainability index for a set of traditional and newly introduced WHTs from the perspective of two stakeholder groups, farmers and decision-makers, and its integration with layers of biophysical constraints. An application of the framework in the Oum Zessar watershed, southeast Tunisia, shows that traditional techniques are the most suitable and sustainable for farmers and fall within the highly suitable class in 76.4% of the total area, while decision-makers prefer innovative techniques that are highly suitable in 80.4% of the watershed. The framework offers a scalable transparent process for knowledge integration in support of WHT investment decisions that can be adapted to other dryland areas

An Integrated Cost–Benefit and Livelihood Approach for Assessing the Impact of Water Harvesting Techniques (WHTs) on Livelihoods: A Case Study in the Oum Zessar Watershed, South-East Tunisia

Despite broad interest in use of water harvesting techniques (WHTs) to reduce pressure on natural resources in arid zones, few ex post assessments are available on how WHTs impact livelihood sustainability. This paper assesses the impact of WHTs on the livelihood conditions of inhabitants in the Oum Zessar watershed in south-east Tunisia. We used an integrated impact assessment (IIA) framework incorporating extended cost–benefit analysis (ECBA) and the sustainable livelihoods approach (SLA). The former internalizes environmental impacts while the latter enables assessment of the contributions of WHTs to rural livelihoods in the watershed. We began by using ECBA to estimate the profitability of investments in WHTs. We then scaled up our impact perspective from the local level to the watershed level using SLA based on survey data from beneficiary households upstream, midstream and downstream. Our goal was to better understand and evaluate changes in livelihoods and associated environmental effects. We focused on the links between cost–benefit of WHTs and sustainable livelihoods, looking in particular at the capitals that connect the two. Our ECBA results suggest that WHT techniques did benefit the local population at both the private and the social level (IRR > 20%; NPV > 2000 TD/ha). Sensitivity analysis confirmed this result. SLA findings point to a central role of social capital in promoting sustainable livelihoods, followed by physical capital enhanced by WHTs construction, especially in the upstream and downstream segments of the watershed. Recommendations were derived from these outcomes for more integrated watershed management policy

Assessing the Impacts of Climate Change on Sustainable Development at the Regional Level: A Case Study in Medenine, South-East Tunisia

This paper applies multiple analytical and empirical methods to evaluate the sustainability impacts of climate change and prospective adaptation measures based on water harvesting techniques (WHTs) at the regional level. We developed a sustainability composite index (SCI) for an arid zone in Tunisia, specifically the south-eastern Province of Medenine. To quantify the SCI, a static computable general equilibrium model (CGE) was adapted to the region. To provide a database for the CGE model, we built a regional social accounting matrix (RSAM). A bottom-up approach was applied to build a regional supply and use matrix for the agricultural sector incorporating natural resources (land and water) as intermediate inputs. Our regional SAM included ten production factors, 18 production sectors producing 22 goods and services, two household types (urban and rural), one representative enterprise, two public sectors (central and regional administration), taxes accounts, two capital accounts (savings/investment and changes in stocks), the rest of the world and the rest of the country. We used the RSAM to calculate the regional GDP. Two simulations were run, focused on the 2030 time horizon from the baseline year of 2006: (i) declining natural capital due to the effects of climate change and (ii) implementation of a regional climate change adaptation strategy based on water harvesting technologies (WHTs). Scenario identification drew on previous research and was performed in close collaboration with regional stakeholders. Based on the outputs of the CGE model, the impacts of the two scenarios on the main regional economic indicators were analysed. Using multi-criteria analysis (MCA), we calculated an aggregated SCI for regional development. Results suggest that implementation of the regional climate change adaptation strategy would have positive impacts, but would be insufficient to maintain the SCI at its current level

Generation of Potential Sites for Sustainable Water Harvesting Techniques in Oum Zessar Watershed, South East Tunisia

Water harvesting techniques (WHTs) are important climate change adaptation measures to better manage rainwater for domestic and agricultural purposes, but which WHT to plan where is subject to sustainability considerations. Moreover, suitability of different WHTs varies from one location to another, depending on physical and socio-economic conditions. This study aimed to identify suitable sites for WHTs taking into account stakeholders’ sustainability criteria. In a participatory assessment framework, Geographic Information Systems and the “Simple Multi-Attribute Rating Technique” were combined to generate suitability maps and to guide sustainable WHTs investments. Steps included the calculation of a sustainability index for a set of traditional and newly introduced WHTs from the perspective of two stakeholder groups, farmers and decision-makers, and its integration with layers of biophysical constraints. An application of the framework in the Oum Zessar watershed, southeast Tunisia, shows that traditional techniques are the most suitable and sustainable for farmers and fall within the highly suitable class in 76.4% of the total area, while decision-makers prefer innovative techniques that are highly suitable in 80.4% of the watershed. The framework offers a scalable transparent process for knowledge integration in support of WHT investment decisions that can be adapted to other dryland areas