The project regions of Sejenane and El Kef belong geographically to the Le Tell region. The border to the north and east is formed by the Mediterranean coastline and to the south, the 400 mm precipitation limits. Whilst El Kef is administratively its own gouvernourat with an area of approx. 5,000 km², Sejenane is in the gouvernourat of Bizerte and comprises an area of approx. 400 km².
The climate in Sejenane is influenced by the Mediterranean and has a mean annual temperature of 17.8°C with an average in July of 27°C and in January of 10°C. Annual precipitation falling mostly between October and March amounts to between 800 and 900 mm. According to the census in 1984, 33,212 people lived in the region.
The climate in the region of El Kef belonging to the Tell Haute region, is continental and semi-arid in the south. In the capital of the El Kef gouvernorat, mean annual precipitation amounts to 512 mm. Average temperatures are between 7.1°C in January and 26.5°C in July. Annual precipitation is subject to considerable fluctuation making it a serious factor of uncertainty for agriculture. Approx. 250,000 people lived in the Le Kef region in 1984.
In 1990 the GDP at factor cost of the well-differentiated Tunisian economy comprised: agriculture and fisheries 16.4%, oil and gas production 6.9%, tourism 4.5%, processing industry 16.8% and services 47.1% (including public administration). Fluctuations on the oil market and in the tourist industry and drought are considered to be the factors of uncertainty in an economy which is aiming for a growth rate of 6% for the 5-year plan from 1992 to 1996. Although the proportion of agriculture in Tunisia has declined constantly since independence (from 56% in 1960 to 14.1% in the drought years 1883), it still occupies a key position in development planning: reduction of cereal imports (1990: 191 million TD, 1 TD = 1.12 US$), expansion of the export sector and stabilisation of rural areas marked by country-to-city migration by means of integrated rural development. Rain-fed agriculture is predominant (approx. 9 million hectares) which partly explains the considerable fluctuations in agricultural yields. Irrigated agriculture is practised on only approx. 250,000 hectares constitutes a significant part of the national overall yield. Extensive irrigation projects are to reinforce its position further. Despite the inefficiency complained about on all sides, the parastatal agricultural development bodies have contributed significantly to progress in dairy and meat production. 40% and 90% respectively of domestic demand is met by home production.
An emphasis in Tunisian development policy will continue - despite over-proportionally increasing development costs - to be the electrification of rural areas by the Societé Tunesienne de l'Electricité et du Gaz (STEG). Despite this, there are large areas of rural regions - particularly scattered settlements - which cannot hope for a connection to the central electricity supply. Despite this long-term gap which will remain, the STEG has showed little interest in supply concepts involving renewable energy sources.
The project region of Sejenane has been undergoing profound economic and social transformation in the last twenty years. Whilst in 1984 9.5% of the population were living in small town settlements, in 1966 settlement was exclusively in the rural milieu. In 1966 settlements in a village structure with more than 10 houses made up 12%, in 1984 it had already reached 29%. Parallel to this change, there was a transformation of the once communal property into individual ownership. The number of farms with a title to their own property rose from 891 in 1963 to 3,435 in 1984. The economy of the region has begun to diversify. More and more farmers are finding additional occupations with the state, in crafts and in trade. This shift was mainly brought about by development efforts to promote the penetration of rural areas by the monetary economy. Nevertheless, bartering is still a dominant element of the regional economy. At the same time, formal financing systems are underdeveloped. Monetary income in the region is weak. Less than 5% of households have an annual income in excess of 3,000 DT. Animal husbandry, dominant in the region due to poor soils has undergone great qualitative and quantitative improvement due to efforts by the Office de Developpement Sylvo-Pastoral de Nord Ouest (ODESYPANO) and thus, dairy farming and meat production have been expanded. Nevertheless, underemployment and country-to-city migration remain characteristic for this structurally weak region.
2,000 years ago the Le Kef region was the "granary" for the Roman Empire and despite the increasing degradation of natural resources, this still marks agricultural structure today. Of the total agricultural area amounting to 380,000 hectares, approx. 250,000 hectares are cultivated. More than 55% of cropland is reserved for cultivating cereals (hard wheat, wheat, barley). Intensification of agricultural production is restricted not only by natural conditions but also by the limited working capital/equipment available. Animal husbandry is semi-extensive. Together with cereal production, animal husbandry makes up over 90% of added value in agriculture. In 1987 the number of cattle amounted to 51,200 head. The number of sheep was 538,142 and of goats 43,140. Approx. 4,000 farmers in the region have more than 4 animals. Cattle raising is mostly carried out in the northern delegations where the water supply is far better than in the south.