Photo ©FAO, Fatou Ndong Sarr

18 July, Niodior - The village of Niodior lies in an idyllic setting in Senegal’s Sine-Saloum Delta. On this island paradise where fishing is the flagship economic activity and a lack of salaried jobs drives an exodus of men, the women are on the frontlines of artisanal fishing.

Among them is Ms Fatou Ndong Sarr, 50, who has been working as an oyster harvester and processor for the past 20 years. She gets up early to get her children ready for school, care for her husband, and prepare lunch.

"We work with the tide. The best time to go harvesting is around 10 a.m., and I leave the processing unit no earlier than 7 p.m. every day. Sometimes I stay later," she said.

Ms Sarr’s husband supports her in her profession, in this community where women have fought for equality.

"In Niodior, we fought for our empowerment and to impose our voice at the decision-making table. Now we support the men, and contribute to the family's income," she says.

On the other hand, her job is tough and sometimes dangerous.

"Harvesting shellfish is done in deep water. Sometimes you can barely keep your head above water, and you have no idea what to expect below. Some of us got bitten so badly by fish that they were bedridden. As far as processing, one of our colleagues went blind in one eye after being struck by pieces of shell," Ms Sarr explained.

The women of Niodior have adopted strategies to preserve the environment, such as refraining from harvesting during biological rest periods.

"We respect the biological rest periods when the time comes, and we also carry out mangrove reforestation campaigns," she said.

As for the future, Ms Sarr is positive. “Our mothers were harvesters and processors before us. Today, a new generation is taking over. Some experienced failure at university, and have chosen to join us in this profession. So we put them first in all our training sessions,” she said.

About CFI-WA

CFI-WA covers Cabo Verde, Côte d'Ivoire and Senegal. The Initiative works with stakeholders and authorities to strengthen fisheries governance and management and improve the seafood value chain and working conditions, with a focus on empowering women. It is implemented by FAO in partnership with UNEP/Abidjan Convention and funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF).