In the framework of ILS LEDA’s missions in Tunisia, the focus groups of the value chains prioritised by the CROLET program in the target district of Kebili and Sidi Bouzid delivered the correspondent strategic guidelines.

The project is run through a partnership between WeWorld-GVC, ILS LEDA, Municipality of Palermo (Italy), ICU, Cit’ESS, and the Association Sallima. (Visit the CROLET web page for details)

The missions were undertaken by Vincenzo Milio and Giulia Rucireta in May (Kebili) and July 2022 (Sidi Bouzid).

The value chain focus groups are the pillars of ILS LEDA’s RESCO methodology for assessing the value chain potential and needs for their competitive, inclusive, and sustainable long-term development, and providing inputs for the CROLET action plan.

The prioritised value chains are the following ones:

• Kebili horticulture, whose strategy was elaborated through a focus group composed of 20 people: 6 farmers, 7 representatives of public institutions, 4 representatives of service providers, 2 NGOs, 1 representative of the municipal government.
• Kebili date palm, whose strategy was elaborated through a focus group composed of 19 people: 4 farmers’ associations, 3 Processors’ Associations, 5 representatives of public institutions, 2 representatives of service providers, 2 NGOs, 2 representative of the regional authorities, 1 representative of the municipal government.
• Sidi Bouzid horticulture, whose strategy was elaborated through a focus group composed of 14 people: 6 representatives of producer and processor associations, 5 representatives of public institutions and local authorities, 3 representatives of service providers
• Sidi Bouzid olives, whose strategy was elaborated through focus group composed of 12 people: 4 representatives of producer and processor associations, 2 representatives of public institutions and local authorities, 3 representatives of service providers, 3 representatives of civil society organizations.

The final results, in short, were:

• The Kebili horticulture strategic guidelines envisage a strategic vision of a tomato and cucumber competitive, inclusive, and sustainable development, by 2030, based on profiling Kebili as an excellent place where to produce tomatoes and cucumbers, and expanding their sales to regional (in the case of cucumber) and international (in the case of tomatoes) markets, thanks to the comparative and competitive advantages of its unique geothermal greenhouses and ecosystem, and local know-how, through a strategy, based on economic, social, and environmental assets. (See Strategic guidelines for the tomato and cucumber value chain in Kebili (Tunisia) for more details)
• The Kebili date palm strategic guidelines envisage a date palm competitive, inclusive, and sustainable development by 2030, based on Profiling the Kebili governorate as the unique place of the world, where to find the highest concentration of high-quality diversified dates with almost 150 varieties, of which the most spread are: the Deglet Nour (82% of the Kebili production), Alligh (6.35%), Bisr Helou, Horra, and Kinta, (Hamza et al. 2006), and using this unique profile for increasing the sales at international level, through an appropriate specialised and diversified product/market strategy, based on economic, social, and environmental assets (See Strategic guidelines for the date palm value chain in Kebili (Tunisia) for more details)
• The Sidi Bouzid olive strategic guidelines envisage a competitive, inclusive and sustainable development of the olive value chain by 2030, based on a profiling of Sidi Bouzid as an excellent place to produce olives and expand their sales to regional markets (especially the MENA region), thanks to comparative advantages of its ecosystem and local know-how, and through a strategy, based on economic, social, and environmental assets (See Strategic guidelines for the olive value chain in Sidi Bouzid (Tunisia) for more details)
• The Sidi Bousid horticulture strategic guidelines envisage, determine a competitive, inclusive and sustainable development by 2030, based on a profiling of Sidi Bouzid as an excellent place to produce horticulture products and expand their sales to regional markets (in particular the region MENA), thanks to the comparative and competitive advantages of its ecosystem and local know-how, and through a strategy, based on economic, social, and environmental assets (See Strategic guidelines for the tomato and chilli value chain in Sidi Bouzid (Tunisia) for more details)

The Strategic guidelines were provided by ILS LEDA thanks to the precious support provided by WeWorld-GVC field team: Amel Abdedhaheur, Khaoula Souai, Manel Mtimet; and the collaboration of the WeWorld-GVC team: Giovanni Penzo and Margherita Winter.