The UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA )Office in North Africa held a dissemination workshop on the project “Uncovering the effects of the Russo-Ukrainian war: How to anticipate and prepare for the repercussions of the Russo-Ukrainian war on food security in Tunisia?” on Thursday 4 May 2023, at the Movenpick Hotel in Tunis.
The vent is organized in partnership with the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office in Tunisia and the UN-Habitat Office in Tunisia. This event aimed to raise awareness about food security issues in Tunisia, the impact of the Ukraine – Russia war on growth, national budget and households, and discuss options to mitigate the effects of the crisis.
The meeting also aimed to provide a platform for the sharing of municipalities and participants’ experiences with regards to food security, especially the experiences of community gardens in the municipalities of Tunis and Marsa.
By 2050, about two-thirds of the world’s population will live in urban areas. This will lead to a distinct set of challenges and opportunities in urban development and food chains. Rapid urbanization challenges include growing vulnerability to climate change, spatial inequalities, migratory pressures and conflicts, as well as difficulties in promoting inclusive prosperity and economic development. In Tunisia, the urban population will reach 70%, hence the need to think about actions, solutions, and strategies for more sustainable, inclusive and healthy food systems that are resilient to shocks, said Aida Robbana, Director of the UN-Habitat Office in Tunisia.
Tunisia needs to reduce its dependence on basic grain imports. In the past decade, Tunisia imported almost all of its soft wheat, two thirds of its barley and 40 % of its durum wheat. To achieve food security and better protect the most vulnerable, it is important that we revamp our production and consumption patterns while also developing better grain storage solutions. This will help reduce import dependence. Digitalization will also be essential for a better targeting of the most vulnerable, said Zuzana Brixiova Schwidrowski, Director of the ECA Office in North Africa.
This project was financed under an emergency modality (DEM) of the United Nations Joint Fund for the SDGs with the objective of facilitating better data collection and analysis to propose policy options and risk mitigation measures, and test integrated policy and financing solutions and programs, explained Tunisia’s UN Resident Coordinator Arnaud Peral.
The workshop was held in a hybrid format and brought together representatives from various ministries (economics and planning, agriculture, environment), media, private and public sector, academia, as well as international organizations and UN agencies in Tunisia.
As part of its urban inclusion policy, UN-Habitat Tunisia pays special attention to leaving no one behind, especially the homeless and migrants, who are real actors of change and cohesion within their community.
The ECA Office for North Africa aims to support sustainable development in Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Mauritania, Sudan, and Tunisia by helping the countries formulate and implement policies and programs that support their economic and social transformation.