SwitchMed Programme to focus on the Blue Economy

The SwitchMed programme, launched by the European Union (EU) in 2014 and led by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), is now in its second phase - the Blue Economy. 

After demonstrating the potential for a green and circular economy in Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, and Tunisia, the programme enters a new phase focused on demonstrating business models that aim to manage a sustainable transformation of associated maritime economic activities that can reduce their negative impact on marine and coastal ecosystems. 

One of the targets has been to improve the efficiency and environmental performance of Tunisia’s aquaculture sector. In 2021, UNIDO commissioned under the SwitchMed Programme a mapping study of the aquaculture value chain in Tunisia across four subsectors (Fish Farming, Aquaculture feed production, Hatcheries, and Shellfish farming.)  

Together with the Direction Generale de la peche et de l’aquaculture (DGPA), the AquaBioTech Group (ABT) and stakeholders from the aquaculture value chain in Tunisia, UNIDO will under the SwitchMed Blue Economy component investigate the applicability of eco-innovative technologies and solutions that can improve efficiency and the environmental performance of Tunisia’s aquaculture sector.  

Find out more.