FAO’s support for expanding social protection in small-scale fisheries
FAO, in collaboration with the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean and the Black Sea (GFCM), has supported regional governments, including Tunisia, in developing a Regional Plan of Action for Small-Scale Fisheries. Signed in Malta in 2018, this plan commits the Tunisian government to expanding access to social protection for small-scale fishers and improving the provision of social protection benefits. These efforts aim to reduce poverty and vulnerability in the sector while promoting sustainable fish stock management.
In alignment with its commitment to expanding social protection for small-scale fishers, FAO, under the Social Protection for Fisheries and Aquaculture (SocPro4Fish) project funded by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad), provided additional support to the Tunisian government. This initiative aimed to address barriers to social protection access in the fisheries sector.
FAO collaborated with key national and regional stakeholders, including the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Social Affairs, the Centre for Social Research and Studies, the Tunisian Union of Agriculture and Fisheries, and the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM). Together, they collected socio-economic and social protection data from fishers and conducted feasibility studies to explore ways to extend social protection coverage.
These efforts enabled a comprehensive assessment of existing protection measures and the formulation of targeted recommendations to reform and improve access to social protection for fishers. The findings and recommendations are expected to inform policy adjustments and program designs that better meet the needs of small-scale fishers in Tunisia.
Key partners:
- Centre for Research for Social Studies (CRES)
- Agricultural Extension and Training Agency (AVFA)
- National Social Security Fund
- Ministry of Social Affairs
- Ministry of Agriculture, Water Resources and Fisheries
- International Policy Centre for Inclusive Growth
Donors
Links
FAO work
FAO's work in social protection within the fisheries and aquaculture sector was created within the framework of the project "Social Protection for Fisheries and Aquaculture (SocPro4Fish) in Tunisia," funded by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norway).
Evidence-based policy support
FAO collected socio-economic data related to the fishing sector, complemented by field surveys, with a focus on artisanal fishers and workers in the artisanal fishing sector. FAO also conducted a feasibility study to identify quantified solutions for extending social security coverage and improving the quality of benefits for these workers. The organization also benchmarked regulations and social protection mechanisms for artisanal fisheries in countries with similar contexts.
Technical tools development
At the national level, FAO is supporting the development of an action plan to improve existing social protection programmes, ensuring they better target artisanal fishers and workers in the sector. This plan considers the variabilities of fishing professions, such as worker mobility, seasonality, and risks. FAO is also assisting in the creation of technical tools to extend social protection coverage to the artisanal fishing sector.
Strengthened informal mechanisms
The project discussed how to better build from and support the implementation of Article 09 of Decree 77, recognizing mutual societies as intermediaries to collect social security contributions. Assessment on how to better to this is underway. The project has designed a strategy for implementing revolving fund systems in community-based artisanal fisheries organizations.
Knowledge exchange and dissemination
An institutional technical committee was established to improve coordination through inter-ministerial and fisher-folk platform. This committee comprises key public ministries from fisheries and aquaculture, social development, and agriculture, as well as fishers and their representatives research centers, the general directorate for investment financing, and professional organizations.
New partnership with the Monterey Bay Aquarium
FAO will work to improve social protection through improving access to social security for small-scale fishers, focusing on the blue crab fishery. The collaboration will address barriers to accessing social security and promote sustainable fishing practices. It will also involve sharing experiences with the Philippines in relation to better linking small-scale fishers to alternative markets such as hotels and local-based markets to help create better access opportunities and improve conditions for fishers, both locally and internationally.
FAO stories
