Tunis: The Assembly of People's Representatives (ARP) approved, Tuesday, in plenary, a draft law adopting the loan agreement signed on March 26, 2024 between the Republic of Tunisia and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) in the amount of 300 million US dollars (933 million dinars) to finance the Emergency Response Project to Food Security in Tunisia (PRUSA). This project was approved with 102 votes for, 26 abstentions and 7 votes against. The loan in question is repayable over 28 years including 8 years of grace. Secretary of State to the Minister of the Economy and Planning in charge of SMEs, Samir Abdelhafidh pointed out that 68% of agricultural investments focus on the water sector. He emphasised the need to rationalize the operation of the various water systems to ensure the proper distribution of available resources and promote treated water in the industrial and agricultural sectors by increasing the rate of use of this water from 8.3% to 17% in 2025 and 50% by 2035. Th e official also indicated that the 2024-2027 investment plan of the Grain Office provides for the rehabilitation of the port silos of Rades and Bizerte as well as the silos of Gabes, Beja, El Kalaa Sghira, Sfax, Gafsa and Bir El Kassaa and the creation of additional storage capacity of 30,000 tonnes in Sfax and 50,000 tonnes in Sousse. Regarding the financial situation of the Office, Abdelhafidh indicated that this establishment is facing financial difficulties but that it is not going to go bankrupt. The office works in coordination with all stakeholders to ensure food security, guarantee market supply in the face of a very volatile global market as well as promote good governance practices in its various structures. The Emergency Response Project to Food Security in Tunisia (PRUSA) will be implemented by the Grain Office over three years 2024-2026. It includes three parts. The first part is emergency support for farmers at a cost of 145 million dollars (451 million dinars). The second concerns the emerge ncy purchase of wheat for food security at a cost of 155 million dollars (482 million dinars) and the third component concerns the improvement of resilience to food security shocks and the management of project. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse