Medenine Case Study

Institut des Régions Arides and Commissariat Régional au Développement Agricole Lead Efforts to Combat Land Degradation in Médenine, Tunisia

Médenine, Tunisia – March 15th, 2026 – The Institut des Régions Arides (IRA) and the Commissariat Régional au Développement Agricole (CRDA) are leading the Médenine Case Study as part of the MONALISA project. The MONALISA project under the EU Soil Mission brings together leaders from industry, policy, government, research, academia, and science across the EU and Mediterranean. Coordinated by the University of Sassari (UNISS), the project aims to identify and promote innovative, tailored solutions to prevent and reverse LDD while showcasing their socio-economic and environmental effectiveness.

Médenine: A Region Facing Environmental Challenges

Located in southeastern Tunisia, Médenine is an arid region facing significant challenges including water scarcity, soil erosion, and vegetation degradation. The area is characterized by diverse land uses—agriculture, rangelands, and marginal lands—that are increasingly affected by unsustainable practices and climate change. Key drivers of LDD in Médenine include overgrazing, limited water harvesting infrastructure, and erratic rainfall patterns, which together threaten the region's ecological balance and livelihoods.

IRA & CRDA: Leading the Médenine Case Study

The Institut des Régions Arides (IRA) and the Commissariat Régional au Développement Agricole (CRDA) are leading the Médenine case study within the MONALISA project. Their efforts focus on implementing and assessing various solutions, including:

– Water Harvesting Techniques – Applying traditional and modern methods such as Jessour systems and recharge wells to improve water availability for agriculture and soil stability.

– Rangeland Management – Developing strategies to reduce overgrazing and support the regeneration of native vegetation.

– Erosion Control Measures – Constructing gabion check dams and other infrastructure to prevent soil loss and manage surface water flow.

– Smart Irrigation Practices – Introducing precision irrigation technologies and soil moisture monitoring systems to optimize water use in farming activities.

A participatory approach is central to the project, involving co-design, co-implementation, and co-assessment with local stakeholders to ensure the impact, relevance and effectiveness of the solutions.

As part of the MONALISA project's ongoing activities, a field visit to Médenine was conducted in January 2025. This two-day visit included a welcoming conference at IRA headquarters, guided site visits to implementation areas, engaging MONALISA partners, local communities, and experts in discussions on sustainable land and water management practices. On the second day stakeholders co-design meeting was organised with the aim to engage local communities, assess the progress of implemented solutions, and foster knowledge exchange among MONALISA partners and local stakeholders.
Read more about the Médenine Case Study field visit and meetings at the MONALISA website blog.
MONALISA Consortium
Universita Degli Studi Di Sassari (UNISS); Universita Degli Studi Di Roma La Sapienza (Sapienza); Panepistimio Kritis (UoC); Centro De Investigacion Ecologica Y Aplicaciones Forestales (CREAF); Hellenic Society For The Protection Of Nature (HSPN); Ethniko Kentro Erevnas Kai Technologikis Anaptyxis (CERTH); Istituto Superiore Per La Protezione E La Ricerca Ambientale (ISPRA); Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche (CNR); Institut Des Regions Arides (IRA); Centre International De Hautes Etudes Agronomiques Mediterraneennes (CIHEAM); Agricolus Agritech Spain Sl (Agricolus); Fondazione Medes (MEDES); We World-Gvc Organizzazione Non Lucrativa Di Utilita' Sociale (WeWorld); Aarhus Universitet (AU); Asociacion Adroches Para El Desarrollo Rural De La Comarca De Los Pedroches (ADROCHES); Universitatea Din Bucuresti (UniBuc); Inosens DOO Novi Sad (InoSens); Cooperativa Produttori Arborea - Societa Agricola (CoopArb); Ente Parco Nazionale Alta Murgia (AltaMurgia); Reseau Pour La Recherche Internationale Sur La Desertification (DNI); Commissariat Regional Au Developpement Agricole De Medenine (CRDA); Universitat Basel (UNIBASE); Universite De Geneve (UNIGE).
For more information, please reach out to:
Giovanna Seddaiu, Project Coordinator (UNISS), [email protected] , [email protected]
Mongi Ben Zaied, Médenine Case Study Coordinator (IRA), [email protected]
Maja Sremački, Diss. & Comm. Manager (InoSens) [email protected]