Tunisia: Connecting startups and agriculture

Twenty Tunisian tech startups and 200 agricultural operators from across the country participated in a B2B event titled “Agricultural Startups – Agricultural Investors,” held Thursday in Tunis by the Agricultural Investment Promotion Agency (APIA) under the theme “Investing in Technology for Resilient Agriculture.” The event brought together innovators and practitioners around five thematic areas — agri‑tech, environmental technology, soil health technology, innovations in animal feed and animal health, and new technologies in aquaculture and fisheries — with the stated aim of creating direct, operational links between startups and farmers.

"Startups have demonstrated their ability to provide concrete solutions in several strategic areas, including efficient water management and smart irrigation, improved productivity and product quality, the use of digital technologies and artificial intelligence in agricultural services, and the value‑added processing of agricultural products," Agriculture, Water Resources and Fisheries Minister Ezzeddine Ben Cheikh said as he opened the event, stressing the need for a profound modernization of the agricultural sector through innovation and partnerships with startups.

Event design and immediate objectives

Organisers structured the day to surface practical, deployable technologies and to improve the visibility of startup solutions for each agricultural value chain. APIA framed the initiative as a matchmaking exercise intended to turn innovation into fieldable solutions and to support Tunisia’s transition toward sustainable, resilient agriculture. Specific objectives included identifying the most suitable technologies for different crops and livestock systems, and facilitating short‑ and medium‑term partnerships between technology providers and agricultural investors.

• Participants: 20 tech startups and 200 agricultural operators.
• Thematic areas: agri‑tech; environmental technology; soil health technology; innovations in animal feed and animal health; aquaculture and fisheries technologies.
• Follow‑up: APIA will pursue contacts established during the event to convert meetings into concrete partnerships.

APIA Director General Inji Doggui Hanini framed the meeting as part of a broader pivot toward "sustainable, smart and responsible agricultural investment" in response to water scarcity, climate change and rising production costs. "Around 50 agricultural startups currently benefit from targeted support, specialized training designed to facilitate access to markets and financing, and priority participation in trade fairs, exhibitions and competitions organized by the agency," Hanini said, outlining the agency’s pipeline of backed ventures and services aimed at accelerating market access.

Tunisia’s agricultural sector faces multiple longstanding challenges highlighted at the event: climate change impacts, water resource management, preservation of soil and animal health, and improving traceability and marketing of agricultural products. Organisers and speakers agreed that while a growing number of startups are producing innovative, sector‑specific solutions, a persistent gap remains in scaling those solutions through direct investment and farm‑level adoption.

Outlook

APIA signalled it will actively follow up on the matchmaking outcomes to shepherd pilots and commercial partnerships from conversation to implementation. The agency’s stated commitment to modernising agriculture — through support for startups, encouragement of private investment and stronger links between scientific research and farm practice — sets a clear short‑term agenda: convert meetings into pilots that address water efficiency, soil health and digital service delivery. Success will be measured by concrete partnerships, demonstration projects in the field and broader uptake of the technologies showcased at the Tunis event.