Tunisian experts call for recovering local seeds, warn of food security crisis

Tunisia faces a serious threat to food security as imported seeds dominate the agricultural sector despite their low quality and high cost. Large quantities of local seeds have been smuggled out over the years, creating a sustainable dependence on foreign companies exporting them.

With the worsening effects of global crises on food security, many farmers and experts have called for estimating domestic production and restoring it from abroad, to protect Tunisians from hunger amid global import and export problems.

Recently, Tunisia has managed to recover thousands of varieties from its local seeds, while large quantities are still available in different countries. Tunisian seeds are distinguished by their high yield and nutritional value, in addition to their ability to adapt to harsh climatic conditions.