Farmers’ perceptions of water management in Jemna oasis, Southern Tunisia

Abstract

Groundwater resources are a crucial driver of development. Since the 1970s, the expansion of irrigated land on the margins of the existing ‘traditional’ oases has been encouraged by the Tunisian authorities to enhance local development. As a result, oases in Southern Tunisia are currently facing sustainability concerns. This situation requires alternative water management approaches, in which local actors collaborate and contribute to the design of new rules. To understand Tunisian oasis farmers’ perceptions of water rules and public organisations, in 2021, we conducted an online survey in Jemna, an oasis in the Kebili region in Southern Tunisia. The picture that emerged from the online survey is that farmers in extension areas have distinctive characteristics but also similarities with farmers in the traditional oasis. Both types of farmers mainly cultivate date palm (monoculture), and, like farmers in the extensions, many farmers in the traditional oasis have a private borehole. All farmers in the Jemna oasis clearly perceive the limited availability and poor quality of the groundwater resource. However, they do not believe these problems cause conflict among farmers. They consider that, to solve possible conflicts and to ensure better water management in the oasis, collaboration among farmers is more effective than changes to rules issued by existing organisations. These preliminary results, if confirmed, can have important policy implications, as the farmers’ perceptions of water rules and organisations, as well as farmers’ willingness to collaborate, are crucial for a possible new approach to water management in the oasis.

Disponibilité en eau et orientation des agriculteurs : facteurs d’adoption de pratiques écologiquement intensives dans les oasis de Kébili en Tunisie

“…La taille moyenne des parcelles cultivées dans l'oasis commune est de 0,98 ha. Cette valeur est du même ordre de grandeur que la surface moyenne de l'ensemble des parcelles détenues par les agriculteurs dans l'oasis traditionnelle de Jemna (Farolfi et al, 2022). La différence est que les parcelles dans l'oasis commune sont d'un seul tenant, alors que celles de l'oasis traditionnelle sont souvent très morcelées.…”

Making sense of on-going dynamics and innovations in oases and newly irrigated areas of North African arid regions: towards more sustainable development pathways

“…Farming practices that tap these positive synergies are time consuming, consequently labour availability is the key to fostering a circular economy. Farolfi et al (2022) describe the sustainability concerns currently facing traditional oases in Kebili Region, mainly due to increasing difficulty in accessing irrigation water. This situation requires alternative water management ap-proaches in which local actors collaborate and contribute to the design of new rules.…”

“…Groundwater depletion patterns have emerged in Kebili and Todgha Regions (Er-rayhany et al, 2022;Mekki et al, 2022). Stakeholders, including farmers, acknowledge the need for rules to manage groundwater resources, yet discussions have yet to take place (Farolfi et al, 2022;Mekki et al, 2022).…”

“…Two studies reported in this special issue were implemented in the same regions but in different institutional settings. The study by Farolfi et al (2022) was carried out as part of the project 'Innovation and socio-economic development for a sustainable oasis' (IDES) while the study by Saidani et al (2022) was part of the Massire project and the Transformation to Groundwater Sustainability project.…”