How Tunisian eco-pioneers are battling to save Sahara oasis life

Klay, a US citizen who started a business making sugar from dates, standing in front of stocks of dates to be dried in his factory. Photos: Fethi Belaid/AFP

A remote oasis in Tunisia's desert was exhausted by decades of wasteful water use for agriculture – but now pioneers around an eco-lodge are reviving the spot with innovative projects.

They hope their back-to-basics approach can keep alive the ancient Saharan caravan stop and its traditions as a sustainable alternative to the region's high-irrigation date plantations.