This workshop was organized in the framework of the wider partnership that GWP-Med initiated with the Ministry for Agriculture in 2012, in the framework of its WACDEP Programme (Water, Climate and Development Programme for Africa). This partnership has had results on transboundary, national as well as local level: on the first front, with the integration of climate change elements into shared North Western Sahara Aquifer water resources; on the second front with the elaboration of a vulnerability study on water resources and their use under climate change constraints; on the third front, with the planning and implementation of an innovative, participatory process for the integration of climate change considerations in the territorial planning for the Douimis basin in Bizerte, in Tunisia’s North, aimed at its replication in other regions.
This latest workshop aimed to:
- provide an overview of the activities undertaken until nowadays by the Ministry of Agriculture with regards to climate change;
- initiate a process of identification of guidelines and measures needed to tackle climate change impacts, improve climate resilience and enhance food and water security in the country;
- establish a shared vision on common priorities for action.
The workshop gathered representatives from various technical sectors of the Ministry of Agriculture at both central and regional level, researchers, professionals, independent experts and civil society stakeholders. In addition, the workshop included a roundtable for technical and financial partners. His Excellency Mr. Saad Seddik, Minister of Agriculture, Water Resources and Fisheries, opened the event.
The workshop’s first session provided an overview of climate change issues as such, and their link to economic and anthropogenic activities, as well as to the developments at political and international level. This allowed participants to understand the status of climate change in the international agenda and Tunisia’s contribution to the international dialogue on the matter.
The second session was structured in group work, focusing on the identification of priorities with regards to three themes:
- the mainstreaming of climate change considerations in the sectoral and sub-sectoral planning
- the formulation of mitigation and adaptation measures and their implementation
- the strengthening of capacities and of the financing framework
The third session, structured as a round table with the participation also of the technical and financial partners, allowed a better understanding of their strategies, as well as an interactive exchange to improve the visibility and enhance the coordination of future synergies on climate change issues.
The participants actively discussed the issues on the agenda, and based on their contribution and input, the workshop ended with concrete recommendations for next steps. To follow up on those recommendations, the workshop proposed specific priority actions. More information is available on the right column.