TWISTT Workshop in Tunisia: Day 2

The second day of the TWISTT workshop in Tunisia training session and field practice, showing very well how the project connects research, technology and real agricultural needs.

The day started with an intervention from INRAT represented by Professor Mondher Ben Salem, who underlined the importance of water management in Tunisia and the relevance of TWISTT in a context marked by water scarcity and climate change. The message was clear: new technologies, cooperation between institutions, and collaboration with international partners are essential to improve future water management.

This focus is fully aligned with the official objectives of TWISTT, which aims to develop a multi-scale Earth Observation and modelling system for water accounting in the Mediterranean, while also involving stakeholders and supporting better decision-making.

The presentations that followed also reflected the official priorities of the project:

• A presentation on olive irrigation in the Kairouan area explained when irrigation is needed, when it should be avoided, and how olive trees can tolerate some drought periods.
• Another presentation shared experiences from previous projects on crops such as table grape, lettuce, melon and eggplant, highlighting the common drought challenges faced by Morocco and Tunisia.
• A private company presented sensor-based technology to support irrigation management, showing how this type of tool can help improve water use, reduce salinity risks and support better decisions in the field.

The day also had visibility beyond the workshop itself, as local media were present during the activities. This helped give more visibility to the TWISTT initiative in Tunisia and reinforced the project’s dissemination dimension, not only among partners and stakeholders, but also towards the wider public and local agricultural community.

In the afternoon, the workshop moved to the field in the Chebika area downstream of Merguellil Watershed where the activities of the TWISTT will be implemented Hence participants attended a live demonstration of sensor technology together with growers and stakeholders through implementing three sensors to monitoring water needs of the olive trees. This practical session showed how research results and innovation can be transferred directly to real users.

Overall, the day showed that TWISTT is not only about scientific modelling, but also about making knowledge usable on the ground: helping farmers, institutions and local actors better understand water use, improve irrigation practices, and move towards more sustainable and transparent water management.

This second day also fits very well with the structure of the project itself. On one side, it connects with WP5 Socio-economic Scenarios & Water Management Strategies, where stakeholders are involved throughout the project and workshops are used to discuss needs, results and practical application. On the other side, it also reflects WP6 Communication, Dissemination & Exploitation, which includes workshops, visibility actions and knowledge sharing with stakeholders.

We would also like to express special thanks to INRAT for the excellent organization of the workshop and for their warm hospitality during our visit. Their support, coordination and welcome were key to making these two days both productive and enjoyable for all participants.