Tunis: The government continues to support grain cultivation, particularly durum wheat, through the Selected Seed Support Programme, for which 43 million dinars have been allocated under the 2026 State Budget, Prime Minister Sarra Zafrani Zenzri announced on Wednesday. Speaking at a joint plenary session of the Assembly of People's Representatives (ARP) and the National Council of Regions and Districts (CNRD), devoted to presenting the draft State and Economic Budgets for 2026, Zenzri emphasized that preserving native seed varieties suited to Tunisia's climate is a strategic choice tied to national food sovereignty.
According to Agence Tunis Afrique Presse, Zenzri highlighted ongoing efforts to digitize the grain system from production to consumption and reiterated the State's commitment to creating a seed reserve stock and enhancing storage capacity to strengthen food security. In regard to the dairy and red meat sectors, she mentioned a livestock sector restructuring programme has been launched, with 80 million dinars earmarked for 2026 to support milk collection, aid small-scale cattle farmers, and finance development interventions through the National Office of Pastures, with 30 million dinars allocated for that purpose.
She also announced that 119 million dinars have been allocated in 2026 to support the fisheries sector, including continued fuel subsidies for fishing vessels and the expansion or upgrading of several fishing ports. On water security, Zenzri reaffirmed that it remains one of the State's top priorities. Tunisia has launched a Water Strategy to 2050, a long-term vision aimed at securing and sustainably managing water resources. Investments in the water sector represent 63% of total public agricultural investments for 2026.
Zenzri called for accelerating stalled projects and launching new ones, such as the Sousse seawater desalination plant, expected to become fully operational by the end of 2025. Projects to supply rural areas with drinking water will continue in 2026, with total investments estimated at 351.8 million dinars. Zenzri described wastewater treatment as a key pillar of the State's water management strategy, essential for achieving water security through reuse of non-conventional resources.
She noted that Tunisia has been reusing treated water for years, in irrigated perimeters, green spaces, and golf courses, whenever economically, technically, environmentally, and socially feasible. Currently, Tunisia treats about 295 million m3 of wastewater annually across 127 treatment plants, including 31 equipped with tertiary treatment units, processing an average of 44 million m3 per year. She added that substantial investments are planned to improve wastewater treatment quality and expand treatment facilities, aiming to ensure safety and increase reuse in various development sectors.
The government also intends to extend tertiary treatment across more plants and build specialized facilities for industrial wastewater treatment, targeting 76.3% compliance with water quality standards by 2026. Finally, Zenzri announced that in 2026, efforts will focus on updating water legislation to ensure resource sustainability, notably through the publication of a new Water Code, which will enhance management efficiency and protect public water ownership.