Climate footprint in arid Tunisia: cropping systems, crop pattern and crop water productivity

Abstract Tunisia is recognized as vulnerable to climate change impact, ranked 64th out of 187 countries in the 2022 ND-GAIN Index. With less than 150 mm mean annual rainfall, irrigation becomes essential in arid regions. Additional water supply was estimated between 2970 and 9730 m 3 /ha. Crop water productivity (CWP) was high in mulberry and pomegranate (CWP > 1.5 kg/m3), while low values were recorded in species like pistachio, olives and date palm (CWP ≤ 0.5 kg/m3). In palm groves, appropriate water management systems could save until 620 m 3 /ha by a 10% increase in CWP. For olive tree, CWP can be amplified by creation of medium- to high-density orchards, reducing tree spacing within the row. Warm temperatures during the chilling period of dormancy led to the limitation of suitable land for pome fruits’ growing and accentuating alternate bearing in some nut crops. Scion/rootstock combinations are under test for better growth and yield performances. The national strategy should focus on cultivating crops with low chill needs and reduced water consumption. Biodiversity in-situ should be enhanced to promote sustainability and resilience of fruit cropping systems in dry lands.