Tunisia, a Mediterranean country with dry-area problems

The problems of limited water resources are discussed in an historical perspective and in terms of the near future. Tunisia has a long history of human influence, man's impact on nature and natural resources having been strong since Roman times. Recent land use, or rather abuse, has caused soil degradation, in the form of soil erosion, decreases in soil organic matter, nitrogen and phosphorus, as well as salinization of arable soil and soil desiccation through the overexploitation of groundwater. Future development must build on a far more efficient use of water. Improvement of water management is, therefore, a priority, for groundwater as well as surface water. Detailed knowledge of the water balance, and of various types of water resources, is a prerequisite for future planning of land allocation for agriculture, arboriculture, horticulture, as well as for pasturing, reforestation, and for nature reserves for biotopes and biota. The future of the rural population requires a change toward increased productivity in as sustainable a system as possible, which also entails simultaneous urban development.