Study of sheep production in Tunisia

ONE OF THE GOALS OF THE TUNISIAN MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE"S FIVE YEAR PLAN IS TO INCREASE SHEEP PRODUCTION. THE 5,600,000 PEOPLE OF TUNISIA CONSUME 15 KILOGRAMS OF MEAT PER PERSON PER YEAR, AND THIS CONSUMPTIONIS EXPECTED TO RISE. LAMB SEEMS TO BE PREFERRED OVER BEEF, AND THE IMPORTATION OF MEAT HAS RISEN STEADILY. THIRTY-FOUR FARMS WERE VISITED FOR THIS STUDY AND CONSULTATIONS WERE HELD WITH VARIOUS AGRICULTURAL AGENCIES. THE REPORT DESCRIBES THE CURRENT STATUS OF THE SHEEP INDUSTRY INCLUDING PRODUCTION, IMPORTS, GOVERNMENT OBJECTIVES AND PROGRAMS, CHARACTERISTICS OF TUNISIAN SHEEP BREEDS, SHEEP MANAGEMENT, REPRODUCTIVE PHYSIOLOGY, AND SHEEP DISEASES. SPECIFIC AND DETAILED RECOMMENDATIONS ARE PRESENTED IN THE AREAS OF NUTRITION, DISEASE CONTROL, LAMBING, MARKETING, GENETIC IMPROVEMENT, MANAGEMENT, AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. THE STUDY CONCLUDES THAT COORDINATION BETWEEN AGENCIES AND WITHIN THE INTEGRATED LIVESTOCK PROJECT IS FUNDAMENTAL TO AN EFFECTIVE EXTENSION SHEEP PROGRAM AND THAT USAID SHOULD ASSIST IN DEVELOPING THESE PROGRAMS.