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Countries and locations:
Algeria: Mzab, Ghardaïa
Tunisia: Gafsa
Project titles: “Date palm oases of the Maghreb: bio-intensive bounded landscapes”
Algeria: “Rehabilitation of ecosystem and livelihood functions in the Oases Béni-Isguen”
Tunisia: “Assessing and conserving the value of the historic-agricultural landscape of the Gafsa Oases.”
Facilitating organisation: Bioversity International
Sites:
Algeria: Béni-Isguen oases
Tunisia: Gafsa oases
Area of GIAHS:
Algeria: 500 ha
Tunisia: 700 ha
Agricultural biodiversity:
Date varieties Algeria (100) and Tunisia (50).
A wide range of fruits (pomegranates, figs, olives, apricots, peaches, apples, grapes, citrus) and cereals, vegetables, spices, medicinal species, forage and ornamentals
Associated biodiversity:
Migratory birds, Gazelle (Gazella cuvieri), Fennec (Vulpes zerda)
Indicator species:
Gazelle (Gazella cuvieri)
Fennec (Vulpes zerda)
Ecosystem functions:
The three tier system (palms; shrubs and fruit trees; ground crops) creates conditions suited for water conservation and micro-climate regulation.
Management of inter- and intra-species interactions for pest and disease control and efficiency of water and nutrient uses;
Efficient water-use and reduced land degradation.
Ethnicity:
Algeria: Berbères (Mozabite sub-group)
Tunisia: Berber, Arabs
Socio-economic and cultural characteristics:
Algeria: Agricultural products from the oasis provide an important source of nutrition and income for its inhabitants and for many it is their primary or secondary source of livelihood. Most of the agricultural products derived from the oasis are for self-consumption and guarantee food security that is high in quality and quantity.
Social institutions such as the Aoumma represent the local community and are charged with the oversight, control, and maintenance of oasis resource systems. This institution derives its legitimacy and authority from customary law and is dependent upon the council of local religious dignitaries the Halqa of Azzabas which is also the focus of social life and norms.
Tunisia: The population of the oasis are descendents of indigenous Berbers and of people from numerous civilizations that have invaded, migrated to and assimilated into the population over the millennia. Since the beginning of extraction of phosphate (at the end of the 19th century) there was an important migration of workers and families from Libya and Algeria looking for work in phosphate mines.
The mainstay of the Oasis livelihood is the irrigated date palm culture, with integrations of other crops and livestock. In recent times other economic activities such as tourism and remittances from emigrated community members have provided for growing cash needs.
The traditional social water management system has been largely replaced by the association of farmers for water management (Groupement d’Intéret Collectif: GIC for water), the co-operative of agricultural services, Omda (responsible for the smallest administrative unit), the agricultural engineering services, and local farmer unions. As there is no integrated collaborative community approach towards water management, access to the principal natural water sources and disputes between water users are beginning to pose a problem. Also, due to the increased demand for drinking water for the city of Gafsa, the irrigation systems for the Gafsa oases are under increased stress.
Threats –main factors affecting the conservation of agricultural biodiversity:
In general, Maghreb oases are threatened by the depletion of aquifers through deep pumping for modern irrigated agriculture, the disruption of traditional institutions for date pollination and water management, and associated ruptures in transfer of specialised traditional knowledge.
Algeria: Due to its fragility, the palm oasis is threatened by: - Growing incidences of Bayoud disease (caused by the fungus Fusarium oxysporum) that kills date palms resulting in a loss of palm populations and in the range of genetic diversity that destabilizes the integrity of the ecosystem;
- Families that are involved in seed selection risk marginalization unless fresh seed is made available (crucial for saving some seed cultivars);
- Professions and skills related to the pruning and pollination of trees are also at risk with great consequences for the maintenance of date palm diversity;
- Lack of documentation for date varieties and growing requirements (even for varieties of luxury dates from the regions of Utaqbala and Babati);
- Urban encroachment into the palm groves;
- Abandonment of sections of the palm groves;
- Fragmentation of the oasis due to land parcelling through land inheritance;
- Pollution of the environment, water table, and waterways;
- No maintenance of hydraulic works and waterways.
Tunisia: This site has suffered similar ecological and socioeconomic problems as found at Tamegroute. In addition, the oases are perceived by the authorities primarily as an area of agricultural production. Important projects in the Gafsa oases take only a limited view of conservation and this perception obscures the various components of this ecosystem and its multi-functionality. These policies focus on increasing production and do not successfully address the problems the oases are facing in terms of their socio-economic, cultural, and environmental dimensions.
Main objectives and activities in the pilot system:
Algeria: The objective is to safeguard the different integral components that maintain biological and cultural diversity of the date palm oasis, including ancient and ingenious systems of rainwater distribution, irrigation systems, the maintenance of the water table, land, plant and animal management. The project seeks to support local knowledge and techniques that are concordant with a rational and sustainable use of the water, land and living resources contained in this delicate environment as well as to develop new agricultural parameters.
Tunisia: To preserve the cultural patrimony of the Medina (city) and oases of Gafsa and its biodiversity in socially, economically and environmentally sustainable ways. This includes the revitalization of agricultural practices and local institutions that maintain diversity in the oases. The general objective of the project is the safeguarding of the Medina and the oases as sustainable socio-agro-ecological systems (for habitat and production). A diversity of date palm varieties, fruits trees and legumes is a keystone to the maintenance of this agro-ecosystem.
Specific objectives:
1. Sensitize stakeholders and community members of the need and urgency to conserve Gafsa and it’s patrimonies for humanity.
2. Sensitize stakeholders and community members of the need and urgency to rehabilitate the Oases.
3. Sensitize stakeholders and community members of the need and urgency and conserve and rehabilitate the old Medina of Gafsa.
4. Identify, safeguard, and add economic value to the Oases’ plant genetic diversity and to monuments of the Medina.
5. Involve young people and women in the oasis and in the Medina in activities linked to development of Medina and oases
6. Development of ecotourism in the oasis and Medina.
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