Rural women in Tunisia have always actively participated in agriculture, working in the field, with livestock on the farm, and in the processing and storage of products for household use and the market. Because women work mainly as unpaid family labour, their quantitative and qualitative contribution to agriculture has not been counted or has been greatly underestimated in statistics. Division of Labour by Gender. The division of labour differs according to farming system, local tradition and age. In areas where men are engaged in fishing, mining and commerce, or have migrated to urban areas or abroad for jobs, women take on essentially all of the farming tasks.
Fishing is essentially the domain of men.
Gender Relations in Decision-making in Farming Activities. The more women are involved in agricultural activities, the more decision-making power they have. Men retain the decision-making power over the sale, rent and exchange of land and the means of production, including large livestock. Decisions on development planning, large-scale projects and the introduction of technologies and infrastructure are made by male planners without input from rural women or taking into consideration their specific needs.