Shaaban Bilal (Cairo)
Specialized experts have warned of the repercussions of climate change, especially water scarcity and low rainfall rates, on agricultural production in Tunisia, which greatly affects food security.
The Tunisian expert in policies, water resources, and adaptation to climate change, Rawda Al-Qafraj, said that the rain that fell in Tunisia during this year represents 62% of the annual average rainfall, which makes it better than previous years in which rain represented only 50%, noting that this The rains were of no use in replenishing the resources of the dams, which received revenues estimated at 639 million cubic meters in the same period, which represents 37% of the average revenues.
Rawda Al-Qafraj indicated in statements to Al-Ittihad that 90% of surface water is allocated for drinking water, which affects farmers greatly, especially those who ignored the recommendations of the Ministry of Agriculture not to plant squash, tomatoes, etc., as they consume water, which prompted them to buy water from other farmers who have them. Deep wells, causing depletion of groundwater resources, especially resorting to digging random deep wells without a license.
The Tunisian expert believed that the deterioration of surface water resources and the increase in agricultural needs for a greater amount of irrigation prompted the state to use treated water to irrigate fodder crops and olive trees, and to establish a system for dividing drinking water in installments by cutting off the water every day for 10 hours at night, but this measure did not reduce the use of water, but rather Reduce water loss in the network by 5%, explaining that most Tunisians complain about cutting off the water that farmers use to irrigate their trees.
Data from the Tunisian Ministry of Agriculture indicate that only 2.7 million quintals of grain were collected in the 2022 season, compared to 7.5 million quintals in the previous season, and 15 million in 2020, which threatens the food security of approximately 2.7 million families in Tunisia who suffer from a shortage of bread on which they depend. Mainly on wheat.
This was confirmed by Dr. Muhammad Al-Zimrli, an official at the Tunisian Ministry of Environment, explaining that the manifestations of climate change and its repercussions are witnessing an accelerating rate in Tunisia, which is one of the countries most affected by the effects of climate change.
Al-Zimrali added, in statements to Al-Ittihad, that these changes are represented by a rise in temperature rates that exceeded 1.6 degrees Celsius compared to the beginning of the twentieth century, pointing out that these rates far exceed the rise in temperature rates at the global level.
Al-Zimrali pointed to a clear decrease in the level of rainfall and the worsening of natural disasters, especially floods and fires, the gradual loss of sand, and the erosion of the coastal strip by more than 15%.
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