On 22 and 23 November 2021, a monitoring visit was carried out in Tunisia, at the Centre of Arab Women for Training and Research (CAWTAR), by the InnovAgroWoMed project team from the University of Rome Tor Vergata and CEIS, in order to follow-up the implementation of the project in Tunisia by CAWTAR, to meet with some local beneficiaries and partners, and to discuss the next steps of the project.

It was also the first time that the Italian and Tunisian partners met in real and worked together in presence, after dozens of online meetings imposed by distance, but above all, by the constraints of the COVID-19 pandemic that has accompanied this project since its first weeks of launching.

The visit began with a meeting at CAWTAR headquarters in Tunis, the capital of Tunisia. During this meeting, the InnovAgroWoMed team in Tunisia gave an overview of the activities already carried out since the launch, the main challenges encountered, the budget and the future projections for the next steps of the project. The debate was both rich and stimulating. The first day of the visit was also the occasion to meet Mrs. Amel Ben Ali, Vice Director of the Economic and Social Empowerment at the Tunisian Ministry of Women, Family, Children and Seniors MFFES, associated partner of the project implementation in Tunisia, to discuss possible synergies and cooperation.

The two partners made a second appointment for the day after this meeting. They headed with Taysir Conseil to Beja, in the North-West of Tunisia, a beneficiary region of InnovAgroWoMed. On the agenda, a participation to a coaching session for 3 beneficiaries from the region at the centre ELIFE Béja , a centre co-financed by the European Union which welcomes Beja beneficiaries with advanced equipment and in a pleasant setting.

A field visit to two beneficiaries at their home, in the heart of nature and the Berber carpet of the rural areas of the Tunisian North West, was also held. 

During the meetings with the participants in the InnovAgroWoMed training and coaching programme, the women were able to exchange with the CEIS and UTV representatives, share some of their ideas, ask questions about the next steps in their adventure, and receive encouragement and positive messages.

The visit was short but very rich and animated by field visits, new meetings and discoveries.

InnovAgroWoMed is a project co-financed by the European Union through the ENI CBC MED Programme. For further information, visit our facebook page.