Combat Desertification and

Land Degradation in Tunisia

Ministry of Infrastructure,

Land Planning and Sustainable Development

***

Secretary of State for Sustainable Development

***

Director General for Environment & Quality of Life

Hamda ALOUI, National Focal Point UNCCD

Republic of Tunisia

Summary

Basic information

Programs contributed in combat

desertification/Land Degradation

Current state of degradation

Institutions developed to Combat desertification

Plan (2012-2016)

Started the Process of the alignment of our NAP

with to the 10 years strategy of the UNCCD

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Basic information

Total area: 16.4 Million ha

Used lands:11.0 Million ha

Agricultural lands area:5.4 Million ha

Forest & Pasture lands:5.6 Million ha

Forest area:1.1 Million ha

Pasture area: 4.5 Million ha

Sahara (unused lands) :5.4 Million ha

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Institutions and tools developed to

combat desertification and erosion

Since 1998 a National Action Program for combating desertification ‘’ NAP-CD’’ has been developed. It represents the framework of strategies, programs and projects based on rural development

It relies on a rural development strategy that gives greater emphasis to different aspects of natural resource protection and to combat desertification

NAP-CD is a tool for coordinating and integrating different strategies of natural resources implemented by the government and to ensure the consideration of socioeconomic and environment issues.

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NAP-CD mainly occur at three levels:

Institutionally: the creation of the National Committee to Combat Desertification and local committee.

Operationally: the implementation of programs and projects planning and conducting horizontal actions to support the implementation of the plan by initiating a system of monitoring and evaluation of programs and projects to combat desertification.

Financially : increasing mobilization of funds for natural resources protection.

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Programs to combat desertification

and erosion

* NAP adopted since 1998

* Since 1990 Tunisia planned many strategies to improve natural resources management:

Soil and water conservation strategy

1990-2000

2001-2011

Forest development strategy

1990-2000

2001-2011

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Soil and water conservation program:

Construction of Lakes

Improvement of rivers

Mechanical terraces

Watershed improvement

Stone tapes…

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Forestry program:

Afforestation to extend forest areas

Pasture lands improvement

Watershed protection

forest roads & Materials of fire protection

Biodiversity conservation and improvement

Combating desertification in the Sahara

through embankment works

Creating of protected areas

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Investment

The participation of private sector ( big framers

and agricultural companies) is about 5% of the

total amount.

1990-2001 2002-2011 Total

Soil and water conservation

programs

434 MDT (289.3 M$)

559 MDT (372.6 M$)

661.9 M$

Forest programs 546 MDT (364 M$)

698 MDT (465.3 M$)

829.3 M$

Total 653.3 M$ 837.9 M$ 1491.2 M$

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Results

Improvement of forest cover to reach 7% of

total area in 2011 compared to 4.2% in 1990

Construction of 750 lakes

Reducing the average area burned from 1500 ha

(1990-2000) to 400 ha (2001-2010)

17 national parks

27 natural reserves

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Current state of degradation

The index of sensitivity to desertification used

to identify areas affected: MEDALUS (Mediterranean Desertification and land Use)

Outputs:

Very sensitive areas: 54%

Sensitive areas: 40%

Less sensitive areas:6%

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Soil degradation Water erosion

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Wind erosion Soil salinity

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LADA- Tunisia: Land Degradation and

Assessment in Drylands

It’s a tool to measure land degradation, project

funded by FAO.

Outputs: maps, indicators, analyses

http://www.ladatunisie.org

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Outputs :LADA- Tunisia

Land degradation map Intensity map degradation

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Plan 2012-2016

Continue extending forest area (afforestation) to reach 10.7% of total area in 2020 (370 000 ha).

Pasture improvement: 250 000 ha

Soil embankment : 7500 km

construction of lakes: 500 lakes

Watershed improvement : 1 million ha

Update of :

Degradation map

Agricultural land protection map Alignment of Tunisia’s National Action Program to the

UNCCD 10-Year Strategy implementation and Reporting review Process

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Supporting the implementation of the UNCCD

Revision and alignment of

the NAP with the 10-year

Strategy of UNCCD

Reporting and Review

process

2 components

Supporting the implementation of the UNCCD

1. Revision and alignment

of the NAP with the 10-

year Strategy of UNCCD

1.2 Enhanced national

capacity to assess baselines

and monitor defined NAP

indicators Review

1.1 The NAP aligned with

the 10-Year Strategy of

UNCCD and

mainstreamed into

development planning and

relevant sectoral

investment plans and

policies

1.3 Improved policy and

institutional framework

and financing mechanisms

for NAP implementation

Supporting the implementation of the UNCCD

2.2. An enabling environment

for preparation of national

reporting cycle to the

UNCCD

2.1 The fifth national

report on UNCCD

implementation prepared

and submitted

2.Reporting and Review process

Thank you for your attention

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