Tunisia – Emergency Food Security Support Project (PAUSAT)

Emergency Food Security Support Project in Tunisia (PAUSAT) is part of the African Emergency Food Production Facility (AEFPF) designed to address the food crisis and the disruption of agricultural input supplies as a consequence of the war in Ukraine. PAUSAT will help expand the area planted and the production and productivity of durum wheat and barley. It will allow the planting of an additional 250,000 ha of durum wheat and 100,000 ha of barley and an increase in durum wheat and barley production of 3.5 million quintals and 2.7 million quintals per year respectively as from 2025. It will have a real impact on food security for the entire Tunisian population and in particular the vulnerable populations and the middle class whose diet is based essentially on cereal-based products (bread, pasta etc). The project will also strengthen agricultural extension, seed quality control and agricultural research support structures. Particular attention will be paid to i) the practice of weed control through support measures and ii) the promotion of new technologies to modernise the management of the cereal sector (setting up of a multi-actor digital platform, support for the establishment of 3 innovative start-ups, etc). The project primarily contributes to climate adaptation results. As such, 60% of the total approved amount is attributed as climate finance, of which 48 million USD is dedicated to adaptation.