Tunisia Country Strategic Plan (2022–2025)

CSP approved at EB November 2021

Revision 01 approved by the RD in August 2022

Although levels of hunger in Tunisia are generally low, access to nutritious food is hindered by economic barriers such as low purchasing power. The coronavirus disease pandemic is having severe impacts on the economy and livelihoods of Tunisians. In addition, studies show that Tunisia is among the top ten countries for climate change impacts in terms of population affected and gross domestic product losses. Tunisia also faces a double burden of malnutrition, with micronutrient deficiencies and overweight and obesity. WFP is providing technical assistance and policy advice through capacity strengthening activities at both the government and community levels.

WFP aims to enhance the Government-run national school meals programme to reach 260,000 children in vulnerable situations (125,000 girls and 135,000 boys). The national budget for the programme doubled in 2019 (to USD 16 million per year), as the Government recognizes school meals as a social safety net that can enhance stability and social cohesion, increase access to education and nutrition and contribute to human development. WFP will continue to support the enhancement and extension of the programme and the decentralization and diversification of its supply chain with the aim of enhancing community resilience and programme sustainability.

The Government also recognizes the need to monitor the food security situation in the most vulnerable areas in order to help inform and enhance shock preparedness and response. WFP is providing technical assistance in establishing a national food security monitoring system that can inform efforts to make the national social protection system and safety nets more inclusive and shock-responsive. WFP will supplement its regular monitoring efforts with gender-sensitive food security and nutrition assessments incorporating conflict-sensitivity considerations and aimed at supporting evidence-based policy design and implementation.

The design of the Tunisia country strategic plan is based on the findings of the 2020 update of the zero hunger strategic review and aligned with the United Nations sustainable development cooperation framework (2021‒2025), with WFP activities contributing to Sustainable Development Goals 1 (no poverty), 2 (zero hunger), 4 (quality education), 5 (gender equality), 13 (climate action) and 17 (partnerships for the goals). Technical assistance and policy advice, capacity strengthening and fostering of nutrition and public service-related innovations continue to be WFP’s approach as an enabler of government-led change.

The country strategic plan is aligned with Tunisia’s ongoing reforms of its education sector and its social protection system. The country strategic plan envisages a continuation of WFP’s technical assistance and policy advisory work, leveraging WFP’s successful partnerships with the Government and other national and international stakeholders to achieve two strategic outcomes:

➢ Strategic outcome 1: By 2025, selected vulnerable groups in targeted areas have increased economic opportunities and strengthened resilience to shocks and climate risks.

➢ Strategic outcome 2: By 2025, targeted national institutions in Tunisia have strengthened capacity to implement school meal and inclusive shock-responsive social protection programmes that improve food security and nutrition.