On Monday, the Minister of Agriculture, Water Resources and Fisheries, Ezzedine Ben Cheikh, emphasized that water is a national natural resource and an environmental asset that must be valued, protected, and preserved. He noted a significant improvement in water resources and dam reserves, unprecedented since 2019, with dam filling levels reaching 39.6 percent—an increase of nearly 130 million cubic meters compared to the same period last year.
“With the commissioning of the Sousse desalination plant next June, which will allow the use of seawater, water resources will increase even further,” he added, speaking at events held on the occasion of National Agriculture Day and the 61st anniversary of the Agricultural Evacuation.
He stressed that water conservation and the rational use of water are the most important means to develop and preserve water resources, meet the needs of citizens and economic sectors, achieve a balance between supply and demand, and provide additional water resources. This requires the use of advanced technologies such as desalination, water treatment, and artificial aquifer recharge.
The minister also noted that the ministry is currently overseeing pilot projects in cooperation with donor agencies to manage surface and groundwater resources and improve the use of irrigated areas. Additionally, it is working on several new programs in partnership with the Ministries of National Defense and Transport, such as the first entirely Tunisian artificial rain experiment conducted in the Sidi Salem basin on April 16.
Furthermore, a digital platform is being developed to support real-time water resource management, in collaboration with the Ministry of Communication Technologies, along with a transition to renewable energy to help control production and desalination costs.
Source: tunisienumerique
