On June 4th 2022, 4he Tunisian Association for Sustainable Development, Research in Action REACT participated in the World Environment Day which took place on Saturday, 4th June 2022 at the City of Science in Tunis by co-organizing a workshop entitled “Participatory Research and Citizen Engagement for Environmental Protection”.

The World Environment Day event was co-organized with the collaboration of the City of Sciences of Tunis, the Specialized Unit of Communication Science and Society (UniSS) & the Science Boutique of the Pasteur Institute of Tunis (www.pasteur.tn) and the Higher Institute of Applied Biological Sciences of Tunis.

EdiCitNet was also present during the programming with a session presenting the objectives and the strategy of the project. At a time when environmental issues are emerging as major challenges of the coming years, the EdiCitNet concept was presented as a solution to make cities more edible, support local food systems and create positive impacts of the urban environmental and urban citizens’ health. One of the objectives

of the workshop was to discuss how to exploit available urban green spaces, he use of pesticides, as well as how to reduce food waste in order the sensitise the participants to the environmental challenges related to the food system.

Participation in this event was a valuable opportunity to expand the Edible Cities Network and inform people in Tunis about the project.

During this year’s Envirofest Festival, May 20-22 2022, an environmental village was se up in the hall of the City of Culture in the Tunisian capital, Tunis. EdiCitnet contributed to the environmental village through project partner REACT’s half-day programming for the event entitled “Water, Biodiversity and Urban Agriculture – Let’s Talk”. The REACT team presented a short film to explain the objectives and strategy of EdiCitNet in Tunisia. At a time when food supply and environmental sustainability are emerging as major challenges of the coming years, EdiCitNet is working to make cities edible, resilient and more autonomous. The example of Carthage, a pilot edible city in Tunisia, and the role played by the municipality with the Carthage City Team, which is working to draw up an Edible Masterplan for the city, were highlighted and applauded.

The programme was an opportunity to exchange with guests and visitors on two questions:

• Urban Agriculture in Tunisia, reality or dream?
• What levers are there we can use to ensure Tunisia develop edible cities?

The participants were sure that it will be possible to make urban agriculture in Tunisia a reality. The issue is how to go from small scale practices – window boxes or vegetables grown in a private garden – to urban agriculture on a city-wide scale. This led to the second question which was about main levers. It was decided that one clear lever was the mobilization of civil society and the necessity of collaboration with the local structures already in place.

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