Growing Diversity – North Africa
TITLE OF EXPERIENCE: The Chénini oasis community, palm grove of Gabès
AUTHOR: Save the Chénini Oasis Organisation (L’ASOC : Association de Sauvegarde de l’Oasis de Chénini)
COUNTRY AND REGION: TUNISIE, GABES, south Tunisian town
ECOLOGICAL ZONE: Coastal oasis situated on the littoral plain of Djeffara, bordered in the west by an arid mountain area (Matmata mountains and Jebel Tabaga) and in the south by the Sahara desert.
ABSTRACT
The oasis population of Chenini is very fond of its oasis, one of the best in Gabès. It is aware of the degradation of the ecosystem (continuous decrease in water resources, soil impoverishment, pollution, ageing farming population, urbanisation and fragmentation of land through inheritance). As a consequence, the farmers and their sons have come together to try and repair the damage that are being done. In 1992, a seminar titled « Oases in Tunisia, world heritage » has been organised in Chenini. Some solutions have been found to the problems of the deterioration of the oasis. At the end of the seminar, it was decided to elaborate a programme for the economic revival of the oasis through an agro-ecological approach (PROC). It was launched in 1994. The organisation to save the Chenini oasis was created in 1995, its main objective was to carry out and support any activity aimed at the economic and social revival of the Chenini oasis and to preserve its natural resources in the future. The main activities which have been carried out so far are as follows :
Ø to undertake and follow up a project of recycling of green waste for manuring and for introducing an organic system of agriculture. This compost component is central to ASOC’s interests.
Ø A project of organic school gardens : this consists in repeating the compost exercises developed in the oasis in the primary schools.
Ø A garden encouraging biodiversity is being created in the oasis and so are projects dealing with small animals (sheep-goat, bee keeping) in order to improve the farmers’ incomes and involve women in the activities of the oasis.
The aims of ASOC are :
to disseminate composting (eventually including urban waste) throughout the Chenini oasis and the other oases in Gabès and as a result to add value to agricultural products with the addition of an organic label.
Ø to improve incomes from agricultural activities in the oasis by fostering new activities (keeping of small animals)
Ø to encourage the rational management of water
Ø to increase the value of the oasis heritage (traditional housing…)
Ø to involve the local population in all activities aimed at saving the oasis.
CONTACT:
ASOC, M. Abdel-basset Hamrouni, Président de l’ASOC, tel/fax : 216 5 282 155 ; BP 02 Chénini Gabès 6041 ; asoc@rotedd.org.tn