2023-10-25 11:24:03
LTunisia has not experienced such a serious climatic situation for years. Dams at minimum capacity, unprecedented aridity. All indicators are red. There is growing fear of the worst where water supplies might fall below the shortage threshold. Today, our country is facing an unprecedented drought situation! It hardly rains and it is the agricultural sector which pays a very heavy price. We must therefore anticipate and take the lead in the face of such an extreme situation and this threat of drought which is worsening by the speed at which climate change and global warming have accelerated, taking everyone by surprise. This threat affects virtually all sectors of the economy which depend, in their overwhelming majority, on water resources. Obviously, efforts are currently being made to accelerate the development of seawater desalination stations, which constitute an alternative to the water crisis. This problem is systemic and must be addressed urgently and in a holistic manner by bringing together all the government’s ministerial departments. At the end of September 2023, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources has decided to extend the decision dated March 29, 2023, relating to the establishment of a temporary quota system and the ban on certain uses of water, until at further notice. This extension of water rationing results from the succession of years of drought and the low water supply in the dams, which has had a negative impact on water reserves having fallen to an unprecedented level, but also, the the supply of groundwater, the level of which has fallen sharply. According to indicators from the National Observatory of Agriculture (Onagri), the general filling rate of dams stood at 27.3% as of September 14, 2023. Should we recall that the supervisory ministry had banned , in March 2023, the use of drinking water, distributed by Sonede, for agriculture, irrigation of green areas, cleaning of streets and public places and washing vehicles. The National Water Exploitation and Distribution Company (Sonede) also announced the establishment of a quota system for water cut-off, depending on available water resources, particularly during the night. Furthermore, the ministry has made considerable efforts to keep the country permanently above the water stress coast, namely 500m3/year/inhabitant (+/- 10%), by implementing the Water Strategy. 2050, which aims to ensure a balance in the distribution of national water resources between regions. This situation will be achieved by improving the rate of mobilization of flood waters and groundwater recharge, increasing the storage capacity of dams and desalination. This strategy is a keystone for the viability of Tunisian economic activities. The sustainability of the country’s economy and food security largely depend on the country’s ability to implement this strategy.
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