As the saying goes ‘In April, do not shed a single thread; in May, do as you please.’
Since May, it has been raining in torrents in many parts of the country. A godsend, given the state of the dams and the severe water crisis that has threatened Tunisia for the past four years. Therefore, it was with great enthusiasm that Tunisians greeted the rain.
Today, in mid-June, as summer approaches, rain and thunderstorms are continuing in the north and locally in the center, according to the National Institute of Meteorology (INM). Strong winds are blowing near the coast and in the south, and the sea is rough to very rough. This is unprecedented in a country where the climate is usually tropical as summer approaches.
Tunisians are now wondering how this rain will affect their way of life. In early May, the government decided to cross the Rubicon and order the rationing of drinking water, no longer taking the water crisis lightly.
The situation is not all rosy
The coordinator of the National Water Observatory, Alaaeddine Marzouki, told African Manager that Tunisia is below the threshold for water stress, set at 1,000 m3 per capita per year, and for “water poverty”, at less than 500 m3 per capita per year. However, average per capita water consumption in Tunisia does not exceed 420 m3 per year.
Recent rainfall has contributed to a 4.9% increase in dam reserves. This will bring their fill level to 36% by mid-June 2023, up from 29.8% last May.
He said the recent rains have improved the inflows to the dams, but have not made a significant contribution to the reserves. During the period from May to June 6, 2023, inflows to dams did not exceed 230 million m3. In the period from September 1, 2022 to June, 2023, the total inflow to dams was 584 million m3.
So, the situation is not all rosy. “Tunisia is suffering from the effects of climate change. Its water potential is modest. That’s why, despite the recent rains, we must not bite off more than we can chew and continue to take precautions by applying the measures taken by the Ministry of Agriculture,” he stressed.
“We cannot fight nature”
Marzouki went on to say that the May rains were a breath of fresh air for the agricultural sector. They have broken the vicious circle of drought, which has left reservoirs very low or even dry and farmers uncertain whether the season will be successful or at least saved.
But you can’t fight nature, he says. In terms of yields, heavy rains could damage the wheat crop, as well as certain fruit trees such as grapes and apricots.
Excessive humidity from torrential, prolonged rainfall can trigger fungal diseases. The more it rains, the more favorable the conditions for the development of harmful fungi. The fruit most susceptible to rain is cherries. In windy, rainy weather, cherries, like apricots, tend to split.
Urgent action
Marzouki said water stress has become so worrying that it has become a top priority in the action plans of the ministries of agriculture and environment.
He urged the government to “learn from its mistakes”. In fact, 500,000 farmers are affected by the water crisis. We must protect them and anticipate any risks. Farmers were hit hard by a severe drought in November and December, which affected their livestock and their ability to work. Water supply is extremely useful”.
To this end, the official also suggests not going overboard when it comes to planting crops such as watermelons, which require very large amounts of water to grow.
