The studies of socio-economic inclusion of 40 imadas, the smallest administrative divisions in Tunisia, in the region of Kairouan, a project funded by the Arab Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), have started, said local agricultural commissioner in Kairouan, Mourad Ben Amor.
The completion of these studies is part of the implementation of the Economic, Social and Solidarity Project (IESS-Kairouan) funded by IFAD, with a budget of 153 million dinars. This is a project to be implemented over a period of 6 years, 2021-2027, as part of the fight against poverty in rural areas, one of the main objectives of IFAD, a UN specialized agency.
Studies launched involve initially 7 local imadas, namely, El Alaa, Haffouz, Hajeb Layoun, Chebika, Sbikha, Ain Jalloula and Oueslatia. They will focus on two components infrastructure and improving the living conditions of the inhabitants in these targeted localities and then the creation of sources of income and improving the socio-economic conditions of the residents of rural areas, especially poor and low-income families, the official told TAP. The first component will be the task of the local agricultural development commission (CRDA).
Regarding the latter, studies have begun for the development of 3 irrigated areas in the localities of El Hitha, Ngagta 1 and Ngagta, and two projects to connect to the drinking water network in the localities of Ksar Lamsa, Oueslatia, El Ariba and Dbebcha.
A delegation of IFAD is currently making a working visit to the region of Kairouan, from December 7 to 13, to coordinate with the regional directorates concerned and begin the implementation of pilot projects in some localities
“The purpose of the economic, social and solidarity project is to improve the living conditions of 75% of women in the targeted localities, to connect about 4300 families to the drinking water network and introduce 29 production systems to public-private partnerships, “said Mourad Ben Amor.
For the social component, sources of income will be created for about 2800 families among the poorest, with an estimated investment of 38 million dinars, Adnene Essid, director of the Regional Union of Social Solidarity told TAP.
