The Tunisian government has allocated 24 state-owned agricultural lands covering over 11,000 hectares to community companies. This move is part of the government's efforts to valorize state-owned land, according to Wajdi Hedhili, Minister of State Domains and Land Affairs. The allocated lands aim to promote sustainable agricultural practices and support local communities.
In addition to the allocated lands, the government has reserved 3,000 hectares for renewable energy projects. Hedhili announced this during a joint meeting organized by the Commission of Productive Sectors and the Commission of General Legislation. The minister emphasized that community companies are required to preserve state-owned land.
State-owned agricultural lands cover a total area of 500,000 hectares, with 38% currently being exploited under lease contracts. Hedhili stated that his department is preparing a second list of lands to be allocated to community companies. The government aims to promote sustainable agriculture and support local communities through these initiatives.
The Ministry of State Domains and Land Affairs has issued 450 decisions to allocate state-owned lands for non-agricultural purposes between 2021 and 2026, covering a total area of approximately 375 hectares. Hedhili noted that the ministry plans to make these allocations conditional on the availability of necessary funding to prevent lands from remaining unexploited.
The government has also ceded 59 hectares for a social housing program and approximately 437 hectares to the Industrial Land Agency. New allocation operations are planned for 2027. Furthermore, the ministry has registered 11,271 state-owned properties as of September 2026 and submitted 7,584 requests for registration.
The "Cadastre Geoportal" project is expected to be completed within two years, in partnership with the Office of Topography and Cadastre and the National Center for Cartography and Remote Sensing. This project aims to locate state-owned properties, identify surrounding infrastructure, and update related data to facilitate access to land information for citizens and investors.
Several lawmakers have called for allocating abandoned state-owned agricultural lands to small farmers, young people, and university graduates to promote food sovereignty and combat unemployment and emigration. The 2027 budget for the Ministry of State Domains and Land Affairs is set at 103.1 million dinars, a 9.49% increase from 2026.
Key points
- The Tunisian government allocates 24 state-owned agricultural lands covering over 11,000 hectares to community companies.
- The government aims to promote sustainable agriculture and support local communities through these initiatives.
- The "Cadastre Geoportal" project is expected to be completed within two years to facilitate access to land information.
