National and Regional Stakeholders Convene to Discuss Advanced Sanitary Safety Planning for Treated Wastewater Reuse in Agriculture for Tunisia!

As part of the preparatory activities for the final national workshop on the development of Sanitary Safety Plan (SSP) and the beginning of the implementation phase to advance the safe use of Treated Wastewater for Agriculture in Tunisia, a working session was held on 9 July 2025 at the premises of the Regional Delegation for Agricultural Development in Sousse in Tunisia.

This work is undertaken under the framework of the Water Scarcity Initiative (WSI) -supported by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) the office of Near East and North Africa (FAO-RNE) - focuses on a pilot site in the public irrigation area of Zawiyat Sousse, where treated water is being reused for agricultural purposes.

The session aimed to present key achievements from the earlier phases of the project, which included:

• Describing the targeted irrigation system
• Identifying potential hazards and hazardous events
• Classifying and prioritizing risks throughout the value chain—from water collection, treatment, and transport, to field application and farming practices.

The session brought together members of the national multidisciplinary team (Water, Agriculture and Environment sectors), along with representatives from scientific research institutions, notably the National Institute for Research in Rural Engineering, Water and Forests, and the Regional Committee for Monitoring and Enhancing the Use of Treated Water in Sousse.

Participants also included:

• The Regional Delegate for Agricultural Development in Sousse
• Representatives from the National Sanitation Office (ONAS – Ministry of Environment)
• The Department for Environmental Health and Protection
• The National Food Safety Authority (Ministry of Health)
• Representatives from the Municipalities of Zawiya and Thraya

During the session, participants revisited the overall objectives of the sanitary safety planning process, highlighting the importance of risk assessment across the entire treated water reuse chain. Discussions underscored the importance of a participatory approach in identifying and prioritizing hazardous events and in developing context-appropriate corrective actions.

Attendees were encouraged to continue their efforts in identifying feasible and effective corrective measures, which will serve as the foundation for an incremental improvement of Sanitary Safety plan. This plan aims to mitigate identified risks, reduce their impacts on exposed groups, and support decision-makers in setting public health, environmental protection, and water resource sustainability priorities.