Contributing to 10% of the national GDP and 20% of employment, both directly through farming and indirectly via the agrifood sector, agriculture plays a pivotal role in driving economic growth, ensuring food security, balancing trade, and stimulating activity across related industries. With 34% of the population residing in rural areas, agriculture is not just an economic pillar but a lifeline for millions of Tunisians. However, the sector faces mounting challenges. Over the past decade, Tunisia has experienced rising temperatures, declining rainfall, and a recurrence of extreme weather events. These climate-related disruptions threaten food production, destabilize farmers’ incomes, and jeopardize the socio-economic fabric of the country’s rural communities.
In response, the government of Tunisia, through its Ministry of Agriculture, Hydraulic Resources and Fisheries (MARHP), represented by the Department of Investment Financing and Professional Organizations (DGFIOP), sought technical support from PARM in 2023. This collaboration led to the development of the programme “Resilient, Sustainable and Inclusive Agriculture for Investment in Tunisia” (ARDII-Tounes, acronym if French). Building on a prior risk assessment of the cereal and olive oil value chains, ARDII-Tounes aims to strengthen the resilience of Tunisia’s agricultural sector. On 4 June 2025, key financial and technical partners convened in Tunis to review the programme’s strategic components and financing framework, marking a significant step toward a more sustainable and inclusive agricultural future.
A long-term instrument for sustainable agricultural development and food security
Conceived as a 15-year programme to be implemented in three phases, ARDII-Tounes aims at providing the country with a robust analytical tool and a long-term vision for agriculture, seeking to reduce risks in targeted sectors, adapt to climate change, optimize the use of scarce resources, and address the challenges of food sovereignty, while promoting equal opportunities and social inclusion.
The ambitious programme, fully aligned with the national quinquennial plan (2026-2030) and other national strategies, is structured around three strategic pillars: (i) investment in technical and economic innovation, accelerating the development of agronomic and economic practices to meet national production and quality targets; (ii) strengthening institutions and stakeholders by equipping institutions with appropriate tools to reduce supply chain risks and encouraging private actors, including producers, to invest and contribute to productivity and quality objectives; and (iii) risk coordination and anticipation, establishing a long-term vision for agricultural risk management.
To achieve these objectives, ARDII-Tounes will implement a portfolio of key interventions. These include the development of climate-resilient seed varieties and investments in wastewater engineering, particularly through support for upgrading national wastewater treatment plants. Importance and priority will also be given to innovation, rural entrepreneurship, and social inclusion by supporting incubators for innovative initiatives and promoting decent employment in the agricultural sector. The development of a Think Lab, a platform for dialogue, solution design, and investment planning to support ARDII Tounes and the implementation of national strategies, will also mark a key innovation of the programme.
Estimated at US$224 million, the programme will primarily benefit those most exposed to climatic and economic risks, representing 24,000 producers, including 18,000 women producers, as well as 1,000 extension agents, 200 researchers, and 50,000 farmers. With its ambitious vision, ARDII-Tounes represents a major step forward towards a more sustainable agricultural future for Tunisia. Mr. Heikel Hechlef, Chief of Staff representing the Minister of Agriculture, Hydraulic Resources and Fisheries, remarked during the launch event: “This moment is of the utmost importance as it marks the beginning of a collective adventure aimed at sustainably transforming our agricultural sector in the face of the climatic, economic and social challenges we face.”
