From local traditions to global markets: Tunisia’s terroir products drive jobs and exports

Tunis, 20 May 2026 – The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and partners marked the successful completion of the second phase of the Market Access Programme for Agri-food and Local Products (PAMPAT), showcasing a decade-long transformation of Tunisia’s local agri-food sector. 

Implemented with funding from the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), the project supported over 250 enterprises and 1,000 farmers, creating more than 3,600 jobs—90 per cent held by women—while boosting exports by 194 per cent and mobilizing nearly €9 million in private investment.

Beyond strengthening competitiveness in key value chains such as prickly pear, date derivatives, dried tomatoes and pomegranates, PAMPAT has established a national strategy for the valorization of local products, now set to be scaled up nationwide. It also pioneered links between agriculture, tourism and crafts, creating new terroir-based experiences for thousands of visitors. 

As noted by Hamida Belgaied, Director General of Agri-food Industries, "PAMPAT has brought new industrial dynamism into our regions, transforming traditional value chains into genuine sectors of innovation." 

Echoing this impact, Mahassen Gmati, PAMPAT Focal Point at the Ministry of Agriculture, added: "The implementation of the valorization strategy has allowed us to map out the contours of a new territorial development model built around local products."

With women at the centre of its results and innovative initiatives such as the national contest for local products and the Artiterroir concept, PAMPAT has helped position Tunisia’s terroir products as a powerful driver of sustainable and inclusive economic development, offering a scalable model for regional transformation.

Links:

- Project website: https://pampat.tn/en/

- PAMPAT II brochure: https://pampat.tn/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/PAMPAT-II-Brochure.pdf

For further information, please contact: Ebe Muschialli, Industrial Development Officer, UNIDO (e.muschialli [at] unido.org (e[dot]muschialli[at]unido[dot]org) )