Typological analysis of farming systems diversity and performance: A case study of Southern Tunisia

Abstract

In Tunisian arid regions, farming systems are increasingly exposed to quick environmental and socio-economic changes, which may reduce their performance and resilience. This paper seeks to assess the performance of farming systems in the district of Sidi Makhlouf (Southeast of Tunisia) considering their diversity. Thus, a typology of farms based on data from the 2004-2005 structure surveys was developed using multidimensional analyzes and the expert method. Multidimensional analyzes have identified three groups of farms: “Rain-fed olive farms”, “Irrigated farms”, and “Livestock farms”. Representative farms were chosen by local agricultural experts to conduct an in-depth analysis of the identified groups. Then, two field surveys were performed with the chosen farmers. Characterization and analysis of homogeneous "reference farm groups" confirm their socioeconomic and technical performance diversity, according to the capital endowment and the strategies implemented by farmers. These results suggest that agricultural policies and interventions should be targeted to strengthen performances and to respond to the specific contexts of each farms’ group.