The World Bank has approved two projects in Tunisia aimed at improving potable water services, modernizing irrigated agriculture and supporting jobs and livelihoods in rural areas.
Funded with US$332.5 million, these projects make up the first phase of the Tunisia Water Security and Resilience Program, which addresses water challenges in both rural and urban areas. The program is expected to create more than 4,000 permanent jobs and over 13,000 temporary jobs, while helping Tunisia adapt to increasing water scarcity and climate pressures.
The “Irrigation Water Security, Resilience and Valorization” project, with a budget of US$124 million, will improve irrigation services, strengthen operator skills, and increase agricultural yields in public irrigated areas in the provinces of Jendouba, Béja, Bizerte, and Siliana.
It includes the rehabilitation of key irrigation infrastructure, capacity building for regional agricultural services and local water user associations, and support for farmers to adopt climate-smart technologies and access higher-value markets.
The project is expected to directly benefit nearly 4,000 farmers through improved irrigation and another 9,000 through agricultural extension services and value-addition support, creating 3,400 permanent jobs and 7,000 temporary jobs in the construction sector.
2.3 million beneficiaries
The Drinking Water Security and Resilience Project, with a budget of US$208.5 million, aims to improve the quality and reliability of potable water services and strengthen the operational performance of SONEDE, the national water distribution company.
Key measures include expanding the Zarat seawater desalination plant in Gabès, deploying 100,000 smart meters, rehabilitating water distribution networks in Sfax, Tozeur, and Kebili, and supporting organizational modernization.
The project is expected to benefit 2.3 million people, including 224,000 who will gain continuous water supply and 440,000 who will benefit from improved water quality, while creating around 600 permanent jobs and 6,000 temporary jobs.
The Tunisia Water Security and Resilience Program is a multi-phase programmatic approach with a total budget of US$700 million over 10 years. By spreading investments across several phases, the program allows Tunisia and the World Bank to diversify water sources, modernize service providers, and scale up proven interventions.
The first phase focuses on drinking water and irrigated agriculture, while the next phase will address sanitation, with ONAS, the national sanitation utility, playing a central role in wastewater collection, treatment, and reuse.
