The socio-economic survey, which represents one of the main pillars of the SASS project, was based on a solid scientific knowledge and conducted with all precautions. In order that the quantitative analysis, which will be supported by the most developed econometric techniques and operational researches, allows the obtaining of plausible and susceptible results that would lead to the construction of useful operational recommendations for the decision makers, it was essential to make sure that the surveyed farm samples thoroughly represent the target community to study.

The target community is a number of individuals who would be surveyed to collect information for the implementation of the SASSIII project. The selected individuals are representatives of the entire concerned community.

The static theory relative to the construction of a “sampling” that is representative of the whole community to be studied is known as Survey methodology. The “sampling” is the preliminary phase which is by definition a complete and updated list of all the individuals making up the entire target community. This survey should not comprise any omission or double-counting.

The appropriate thing to do was to prepare a complete list of irrigated plots (“sampling”) for the entire SASS region and to proceed to a random drawing of 3000 individual units to be surveyed. Given that this sampling frame is not available, it was deemed necessary to resort to “cluster sampling” or “two-level sampling”. This method was adopted for the samples construction relative to the identified Algerian sites (5 sites), Libyan sites as well as the governorate of Mednine in Tunisia. Whereas, the “probability sampling” method was used for the other four Tunisian governorates (Gabes, Kebili, Tatouine and Tozeur) as they display an exhaustive and updated list of irrigators.

The present report describes in detail the process of the samples construction representative of about 3000 farmers across the entire SASS region.