ICAPT

ICAPT (Implementing Climate-smart Agriculture Practices in Tunisia) is a project implemented in the framework of a “technical arragement” between the Ministry for the Environment, the Land and Sea of the Italian Republic and the Ministry of Agriculture, Water Resources and Fisheries of the Tunisian Republic

Project in numbers

Start date: May 2021
Duration: 30 months
Total project Budget: 2.560.000,00€

Goals

ICAPT aims to identify and implement effective and sustainable solutions to optimize land use with maximum water-value return and low-energy practices in the public irrigated perimeters downstream to Nebhana dam. The project intends to strengthen the resilience of farming communities and rural livelihoods to climate change, through:

Creating and experimenting integrated farming systems;
Reducing GHG emissions of the water production sector by installing a PV plant for the supply of drinking water pumping stations;
Ensuring a smart and energy-efficient management of agricultural areas, related value chains and associated resources;
Raising awareness and involving farmers in a climate-smart agriculture approach through the implementation of pilot integrated farming systems and through the share of expertise and knowledge;
Improving the productivity and sustainability of agriculture sector.

The effects of climate change (i.e, higher temperatures, more frequent extreme weather events, water shortages, land degradation, ecosystems disruption and biodiversity loss…) is highly compromising agriculture’s ability to feed the most vulnerable, thus impeding, progress towards sustainable development goals.

In order to tackle these challenges, a Tunisian climate change national strategy has been elaborated (2012) as well as adaptation strategies for the agriculture and ecosystems sectors, including the Ministry of Agriculture, Water Resources and Fisheries (MAWRF) which is one of the key players. The national strategies formed a basis for the definition of Tunisia's National contribution in the context of the Paris Agreement ratified in February 2017. These strategies concern the improvement of the agricultural sector resilience to climate change while contributing to international efforts to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

ICAPT is part of MAWRF's contribution to achieve the sustainable development goals, especially through the implementation of the following actions:

Promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, halt land degradation and combat desertification;
Promote green technologies and green jobs in the agricultural sector;
Promote energy-efficient agricultural technologies and the ones in line with the National Energy Conservation Strategy ;
Adapt irrigated crops in the central regions, as well as mixed farming-livestock production in vulnerable regions.