ERPAD Project: Free Water Management Support for Tunisian Fruit Growers

The ERPAD (Water, Resource for Tomorrow’s Agriculture) project is paving the way for free water management support, funded through a tender under the Interreg NEXT Italy-Tunisia program.

Eligibility Criteria

Up to 15 Tunisian fruit companies can access this support mechanism, provided they meet the following conditions:

They operate within the fruit sector (citrus, fresh fruits, nuts, or exotic fruits).
They are based in the Sousse or Nabeul governorates.

An Italo-Tunisian Consortium

The initiative is led by Microfinanza, an Italian consulting firm based in Vicenza, with over 20 years of expertise in inclusive finance and development financing. It is supported by an academic and technical consortium comprising:

The University of Catania
FORIS
The Higher Institute of Agronomy of Chott Mariem

The primary objective is to optimize water usage in agriculture while fostering connections between Tunisian and Sicilian fruit industry professionals.

Support Process

The support process begins with a comprehensive diagnostic of each company’s water consumption. Experts then identify concrete strategies to conserve available resources. Finally, they assist in developing a business plan and identifying funding sources for selected projects.

Application Deadline: September 20, 2026, at 5:00 PM.

Strategic Impact

For Tunisian fruit growers, this type of initiative goes beyond simple technical assistance. It enables more precisely calibrated investments based on accurate water diagnostics. In a sector where water stress already significantly impacts yields, transforming water management into a key business plan argument could become a full-fledged criterion for bankability for future agricultural projects in Tunisia.