How an appetite for clams is helping boost women's empowerment in Tunisia
Encouraging tourists to take an interest in the unique way the local communities gather fish and cook with it will boost income for local communities and develop more sustainable value chains all year round.
Tunisian clams are increasingly sought-after for their rich taste, helping boost livelihoods for many Tunisian women. ©FAO/Amine Landoulsi
Did you know that the best clams for the classic Italian dish spaghetti alle vongole actually come from across the sea in Northern Africa? The Tapes decussatus autochthonous clam is native to waters surrounding the coasts of Tunisia, Libya, Egypt and Morocco and, thanks to its superior quality and taste, is highly popular with chefs.
Rather than being harvested through automated processes, the North African Tapes decussatus autochthonous clams are still gathered by hand, guaranteeing a high quality product. In Tunisia, many of these sought-after clams are collected by women who work long days under the hot sun. Their direct involvement often ended after the harvest and they would earn less than USD 1 per kilo.
Fairer prices for good work
Realizing that there is a strong demand for the product just across the Mediterranean Sea in Italy and Southern Europe, FAO launched a project in the Gulf of Gabes, one of Tunisia’s prime clam-harvesting areas, in order to improve the efficiency of the value chain and therefore increase the income for the women clam collectors.