Mehdi Adouni is the chairman of SMSA Ennajeh, an agricultural cooperative that provides services, trainings, and supplies like seeds and farming equipment for geothermal farmers in the underserved region of El Hamma in the south-eastern governorate of Gabes.
Mr. Adouni completed his university studies and pursued a career in teaching. For a decade, he dedicated himself to educating students at an elementary public school in Sidi Amor Bouhajla, in the governorate of Kairouan. However, in 2011, he resolved to advance his academic qualifications and enrolled in a master's program in archaeology at the University of Manouba. Despite attending physical classes only twice per week, he completed the course through a combination of online learning and self-directed study.
Coming from a family of farmers, he also had a basic comprehension of agriculture, although he lacked knowledge on greenhouse farming. However, he was aware of the distinctive features of the region, renowned for its geothermal springs that reliably offer warm water ranging between 40°C to 70°C, which can be harnessed to heat greenhouses and produce energy throughout the year. With the assistance of both the Technical Center for Protected and Geothermal Crops of Gabes and neighboring greenhouse cultivators, he acquired fundamental knowledge in this field.
While pursuing his master's degree, Mr. Adouni entered the greenhouse-farming domain in 2011 and rented a plot of land to set up his agricultural business. Initially, he cultivated tomatoes and peppers and employed two workers. At the time, he was selling his products in the market of Gabes.
During that period, local producers worked independently, lacking any significant collaborative initiatives, as they had neither a shared objective nor vision. However, they were all facing both technical and financial obstacles, which nearly led to cancellation of their activities. Mr. Adouni and his fellow producers did recognize a potential to exchange knowledge and expertise. Consequently, the idea of formal collaboration started to take shape.
In 2017, Mr. Adouni and seven other neighboring farmers established SMSA Ennajeh, primarily cultivating tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, cucumbers, and cantaloupes. Although having a constant supply of hot water is a major advantage for the cooperative, SMSA Ennajeh faced other challenges, such as a small membership and inefficient organization. In fact, most farmers in the area remained unaware of the long-term economic advantages of being a part of the SMSA, and the membership fees were discouraging for low-income farmers.
Furthermore, the cooperative faced significant repercussions due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown period, resulting in major disruptions to its operations. The SMSA confronted difficulties accessing crucial agricultural inputs such as graft plants, nutrients, compost, and fertilizers. Demand from potential customers also declined, leading some farmers to sell their produce at lower prices in wholesale markets.
In late 2020, JOBS helped the cooperative implement a technical training program for its members to improve knowledge of geothermal agricultural practices and techniques, as well as a training for the managerial and administrative staff to improve the SMSA’s organization and business prospects. JOBS also awarded a grant to help the cooperative purchase 9 fully equipped greenhouses; this support enabled the SMSA to meet national demand while deploying sustainable agricultural practices.
As a result, the SMSA was able to attract 23 new members, expand its reach to a national level, and establish a head office in El Hamma.
“Thanks to our joint efforts, the SMSA can now sell its produce across the country, including major markets such as the Bir El Kassaa wholesale market in Greater Tunis, which is Tunisia's largest market for vegetables and fruits.”
Mehdi Adouni
Chairman – SMSA Ennajeh
