• Parliament approves a 2026 Finance Bill measure allowing farmers to import and use drones.

• Tunisia lifts a long-standing civilian drone ban specifically for agricultural activities.

• Authorities aim to boost productivity as the country faces a six-year drought and rising food-import dependence.

Tunisia’s agricultural sector contributes 9% of GDP and employs about 13% of the active population. The country faces persistent climate pressures and severe water stress, which push authorities to adopt technologies that can improve productivity.

Tunisia took a new step toward modernizing its agriculture. On December 4, 2025, Parliament approved a Finance Bill measure for 2026 that authorizes farmers to import and use drones for agricultural purposes.

Local outlet Ilboursa reports that the measure constitutes a special exemption from Tunisia’s long-standing ban on civilian drone use for national-security reasons. “For the first time, a professional category obtains the explicit right to import, own and use these devices exclusively for their agricultural activity,” the outlet says.

Authorities say the measure seeks to integrate more precision-farming technologies into land management. Farmers can now deploy drones to monitor fields, optimize irrigation and improve crop-treatment operations.

The government expects these technologies to lift productivity and efficiency across agricultural activities. The move takes on added urgency as Tunisia confronts a drought that has lasted more than six years, similar to other North African countries.

The prolonged dry conditions continue to hit output—especially cereal crops—and increase the country’s reliance on imports. Tunisia ranks among the top 10 African nations with the highest food-import spending. According to a UNCTAD report published in July, the country imported an average of $2.87 billion in agri-food products per year between 2021 and 2023.

This article was initially published in French by Stéphanas Assocle

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum