Graduation of the First Class of Rural Eco-Advisors for Farm Tourism Projects
The graduation of the first class of rural eco-advisors for farm tourism projects was celebrated on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, at the Auditorium of the National Agronomic Institute of Tunisia (INAT). Twenty-six eco-advisors representing the Regional Commissariats for Agricultural Development (CRDA) and the Regional Commissariats for Tourism (CRT) received their certificates after completing a 10-session training program as part of the BioTED project, which aims to support and promote farm tourism initiatives.
Ceremony and Partnerships
The certificate award ceremony was presided over by the Secretary of State, Ministry of Agriculture, Water Resources, and Maritime Fisheries, in charge of Water Resources, Hamadi Habaieb, in the presence of the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium in Tunisia, François Dumont, and the General Delegate of Wallonia-Brussels in Tunis, Rajae Essefiani. The eco-advisors were organized into pairs and assigned to projects selected for their commitment to innovation and value creation. This unprecedented experience, which brings together officials from the agriculture and tourism sectors, is expected to be strengthened and expanded further.
The BioTED Project
The BioTED project is part of the debt conversion agreement between the Government of the Republic of Tunisia and the Government of the Kingdom of Belgium, as well as bilateral cooperation with Wallonia-Brussels International, implemented by the General Directorate of Organic Agriculture (DGAB) under the Ministry of Agriculture, Water Resources, and Fisheries. The project benefits from the support of the Belgian Consortium (Eco-Consulting Institute, CANOPEA, and Walloon Rural Accommodation), a technical and institutional partner that provides expertise in training and mobilizing stakeholders. The project is fully integrated into the national strategy for the development of organic agriculture by 2030, which aims to make agritourism linked to organic agriculture a strategic lever for the circular economy at the service of farmers.
Objectives and Approach
The objective of BioTED is to generate economic, social, and environmental added value for the benefit of populations living in Tunisian bio-territories. The project is based on an integrated and innovative territorial approach, articulated around three main axes:
- Creation of a national support structure: to federate agritourism stakeholders and strengthen coordination between the agriculture, tourism, and local development sectors.
- Establishment of a new profession: rural eco-advisors trained to support farmers in setting up and managing farm tourism projects.
- Development of pilot agritourism projects: distributed across the country's districts, illustrating the diversity of possible initiatives and their anchorage in local specificities.
Partners and Vision
BioTED embodies a sustainable vision of agriculture and tourism, serving regional development and the resilience of rural communities. The project relies on a dynamic of cooperation between national and international actors, united around a shared vision of sustainable development and valorization of Tunisian rural territories. Key partners include:
- The Ministry of Agriculture, Water Resources, and Fisheries, through the General Directorate of Organic Agriculture (DGAB), as the project leader.
- The Belgian Consortium (Eco-Consulting Institute, CANOPEA, and Walloon Rural Accommodation).
- The Tunisian National Tourism Office (ONTT), a strategic actor for the integration of agritourism into the national policy of diversifying tourist offerings.
- The Institution for Agricultural Research and Higher Education (IRESA), mobilized for the creation of pedagogical content adapted to the challenges of agritourism in Tunisia.
Conclusion
The innovative concept of the project, the involvement of participants, and the support of partners make BioTED, from its first pilot phase, an enriching and promising experience that will quickly bear fruit.
