Tunisia plans to increase forest cover to 16%

Tunisia plans to raise its forest cover from 12 per cent to 16 per cent of the country’s land area in the coming years. This is reported by Tunis Afrique Presse, a partner of TV BRICS, citing the Director of Forest Conservation at the Ministry of Agriculture, Water Resources, and Fisheries, Sahbi Ben Dhiaf. 

Currently, forests cover roughly 1.2 million hectares, or about 8.5 per cent of Tunisia’s land. The forestry sector contributes 1.4 per cent to GDP and supports 14 per cent of agricultural output. An estimated 700 thousands to 1 million Tunisians live in these areas and rely on forests as essential economic and social assets.

As part of the 2050 National Forestry Development Strategy, the ministry will prioritise enhancing the economic value of forests, strengthening their environmental resilience, and broadening citizens’ rights to access and utilise forest resources.

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