Beja governorate covers an area of 3,740 km2, and produces about 25% of the country's grain, thanks to over 90% of its fertile land. The abundance and diversity of its production have earned it the status of national granary, a reputation it has inherited since ancient times. The governorate has the country's largest dams, namely the Sidi Salem dam (with a capacity of around 700 million m3), the Sidi El Barrak dam and the Kassab dam. Created in 1956, this governorate is distinguished by its geographical position as a transit region between the governorates of the North-West, Greater Tunis and the North-East. Bordered to the north by the Mediterranean Sea over a 26-kilometre long strip, to the west by Jendouba governorate, to the east by the Manouba and Zaghouan governorates and by Bizerte to the north-east and by Siliana governorate to the south. According to the new spatial division, the governorate of Béja belongs to the first district. The region is home to 30,8710 people, according to data released by the National Institute of Statistics (INS) in January 2023. Almost 45% of the population lives in urban areas. Striking differential characteristics The governorate has almost 26,000 ha of irrigated areas, 33,600 ha of arable land, 23,000 ha of pasture land and over 65,000 ha of forest, according to data provided by the Local Authority for Agricultural Development (CRDA) for 2022. The agricultural sector employs some 30% of the governorate's working population, followed by the services sector (over 27%), then manufacturing (13%) and finally construction and public works. One of Beja's distinctive advantages is its proximity to the capital Tunis, not to mention the fact that it lies in the middle of a major road network, including the Tunis-Beja-Bousalem motorway and a railway line for people and goods. Beja counts 11 industrial zones covering an area of 143 ha, more than 150 companies providing over 16,000 jobs, 4 universities, 2 business incubators and several training centres specialised in the food industry and organic farming. Furthermore, the governorate boasts a large number of archaeological sites, including Dougga, Faouar, Aïn Tounga and the Kasbah, some of which have been classified at the global level. Gap between prolific natural potential and poor socio-economic indicators The 9 delegations of the region suffer from a development situation characterised by poor economic and social indicators, due to structural and cyclical problems that have hindered the development process. The governorate ranks 20th in the national development index, reads a preliminary document for the 2023-2025 regional development plan. The same source further indicated that the region has a high rate of poverty and illiteracy, estimated at 32% and 29.2%, respectively, in addition to an unemployment rate of over 18% in 2019. In Béja, there is 1 doctor for every 1,248 inhabitants, with an average of 25 consultations by doctor per day. The number of patients referred for treatment outside the region is estimated at 3,0 28, according to figures from the local health directorate for 2022, in the lack of a teaching hospital, a structure urgently needed by the region's population and which was at the root of several protests, notably in 2020. Based on the preliminary document of the 2023-2025 development plan, experts said that the development problems in Beja are caused by the lack of a spatial strategy. This situation has led to a development gap between delegations. This lack of strategic planning has impacted on the region's competitiveness, with consequences such as low productivity in the agricultural sector, indefinite postponement of the development of the industrial sector, a lack of integration between economic sectors and very limited integration of the services sector. This lacklustre record has been exacerbated by a shortage of drinking water and irrigation, weakening the region's agricultural capacity in the process, and by the fact that the region's cultural heritage is not being exploited for tourism. This i s compounded by an imbalance in the distribution of public facilities and installations between the delegations, in the absence of a sustainable growth plan that serves the various towns and economic sectors of the region. Moreover, demographic growth in the region has remained low or negative for decades, due to an increase in immigration. According to the 2004 general population census, the population of Beja was 304,501, compared with 303,032 in 2014. Development Vision The strategic development vision for the governorate of Béja for 2023-2025 is based on a new structure for the regional economy, aimed at propelling the governorate to the status of a competitive regional economic hub, converting it into a balanced, radiant and attractive regional area, improving the quality of life and curbing unemployment and poverty rates. Representatives of civil society in Beja reported to TAP the demands of the Béja locals, which include notably speeding up the establishment of a multidisciplinary teaching hospita l, the completion of major projects (Jenan Medjreda) and the boosting of the agricultural, tourism and transport sectors. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse