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| 2 hours ago
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The Tunisian Forum of Economic and Social Rights (FTDES) estimated, yesterday, Saturday, that the Regional Commissariat for Agricultural Development of the city of Bembla, in the governorate of Monastir, destroyed the entire pepper harvest without consulting the farmers in the region, due to the emergence of an unknown virus.
Indicating that this random decision is mainly due to the lack of control and support of farmers at the different stages of production, starting from seed supply.
Since the end of November 2020, farmers in irrigated areas of the town of Bembla have discovered a rare disease in pepper nurseries, and after consulting the Regional Commission for Agricultural Development, it turned out to be a new virus that the services of the commission did not know how to dispose of it.
The forum stressed, in a statement, that the failure to take into account the losses suffered by farmers due to this virus, and the lack of compensation or alternatives after the destruction of greenhouses, is the main reason for the outbreak. of the wave of protests of December 3, 2020.
During which, farmers closed the roads in the town of Bembla and then headed to the headquarters of the Regional Commission for Agricultural Development in Monastir to organize a demonstration.
Due to this congestion, the interests of the General Directorate for the Protection of Agricultural Products of the Ministry of Agriculture collected samples of peppers to perform the necessary analyzes on December 5. According to the results, the presence of many previously unknown viruses among agricultural pests was confirmed.
The Forum said the Agriculture Ministry continues to remain silent despite evidence that imported seeds caused this disaster, indicating that this ministry has not taken any explicit action or position against brands producing imported seeds. and the party responsible for their importation into Tunisia.
He also considered that this incident “testifies to the laxity of the State in the exercise of its role of guardianship over seeds and nurseries, thus aggravating the food sovereignty crisis in the country and exacerbating dependence on the outside with the systematic abandonment of original seeds resistant to pests and the push by farmers to exploit foreign seeds under the pretext of their high productivity without taking into account its risks on crops.
He also highlighted the need for the State to resume its role with farmers and to preserve the national heritage of indigenous seeds, to promote them and facilitate access to them.
The irrigation zones in the governorate of Monastir are estimated at 1846 (private and public). The governorate is considered to be the most important producer of peppers grown in glasshouses in Tunisia, with 47% of the national product.
The irrigated area of Bembla is considered to be the most affected by this virus, as 700 chilli greenhouses were destroyed and around 400 farmers suffered significant losses.
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