The objective of the proposed project "Social, Economic and Institutional Dimensions of Wastewater Reuse in Agriculture in Tunisia - STEWART" is the development and implementation of sustainable structure-building measures at the University of Carthage in Tunisia (Tunisia). The focus is on the scientifically and socially highly relevant topic of sustainable reuse of treated wastewater (TWW) in agriculture in Tunisia. The basic aim of the project is to support the political, social and economic transition in Tunisia by establishing and implementing structural renewal and improvements in the Tunisian teaching and research system. The Tunisian higher education system is to be strengthened in a targeted manner through sustainable structural education in university institutions. Within the framework of this project, German and Tunisian scientists will exchange their experiences in research and teaching. Together with Master and PhD students, they will participate in jointly organized structural measures (one-week policy learning workshop including preparatory meeting) to exchange knowledge about innovative research concepts and methods and to apply and discuss them in a concrete empirical case. Especially in the Tunisian environment and agri-environmental sector, there is a lack of institutional, economic and governance oriented teaching and research concepts. The University of Kassel will support its Tunisian partner and contribute to close this gap.
The research component of the project focuses on the problems of wastewater treatment and reuse in agriculture. Technical, social, economic and institutional factors that can influence the decision of farmers to use TWW will be investigated in more detail. In addition, Tunisian scientists as well as PhD and Master Students will get familiar with research concepts and methods from institutional economics and governance perspectives. This will enable them to design, plan and carry out independently research projects depending on their own interests. Doctoral Students will also be trained in the supervision of Master students. The lecturers at the University of Carthage (and to some extent also the participants in the structural measures) will be strengthened in their teaching methods and concepts. In the sense of an inter- and transdisciplinary research approach, this is done primarily in the context of a one-week Policy Learning Workshop, thus involving practical actors who deal with questions of the reuse of TWW in agriculture (e.g. farmer associations, operators of wastewater treatment plants). In addition, scientists from other Arab countries (Algeria, Oman, Bahrain) will chair and exchange their thematically relevant expertise on wastewater treatment and reuse. Finally, decision makers from the relevant sectors (agriculture, environment, water, higher education and research) will be invited to the final event of the project (last day of the Policy Learning Workshop) to discuss the results and possible policy options together with the German and Tunisian project and workshop participants. The Policy Learning Workshop is also intended to serve as a structure building measure to identify further research needs and concrete possibilities for the enlargement of cooperation in research and teaching.
