Phosphate production in Tunisia makes for an impressive part of the national income – around 25 percent by some counts. And much of that phosphate, used in agriculture and industry, comes via the Gafsa Phosphate Company (GPC) and the Tunisian Chemical Group (GCT).
However, while the focus remains firmly on the two large businesses, other options for the unemployed in southern Tunisia remain unexplored.
Phosphate production in Tunisia makes for an impressive part of the national income – around 25 percent by some counts. And much of that phosphate, used in agriculture and industry, comes via the Gafsa Phosphate Company (GPC) and the Tunisian Chemical Group (GCT).
However, while the focus remains firmly on the two large businesses, other options for the unemployed in southern Tunisia remain unexplored.
This is of particular concern because of the fact that, early in November, Fitch Ratings, a global credit rating agency, lowered both the GPC and the GCT’s ratings because of the fact that their production levels had fallen, because of exchange rates for the Tunisian dinar and the general agricultural market conditions.
GPC is a state-owned company and previously, under the regime of former Tunisian leader Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, it had come under attack from local people for corrupt employment policies, cronyism and lack of care for local workers after mining and environmental accidents. Those protests, some of the first of the Arab Spring, led to months of repression by security forces sent into the area by Ben Ali.
Despite the change of leadership wrought by public protests in 2011, the phosphate-producing region still hasn’t quieted down. Most recently local labour groups have staged a number of sit-ins and work stoppages that have further disrupted production.
As local news website, Tunisia Live, reported in November: “persistent social unrest has hurt the company’s levels of output. In 2010, GPC produced 8 million tons of phosphate. It was expected that GPC would churn out 3 million tons in 2012, but the state-owned company only produced 2.5 million tons at the turn of this month”.
GPC has expansionary plans that include employing another 3,000 staff in 2013.
The fact that the companies’ credit ratings have been lowered shouldn’t raise local fears, Bassem Kahwash, the head of a local civil society organization, argued. “Rather, it should push officials to seek the best solution for the best exploitation of the natural and cultural resources here so that we can implement genuine development projects here.”
“Gafsa has a lot of natural resources as well as some important historical sites,” Kahwash continued. “For example, the El Guettar site is home to the oldest religious building in the world: a modest building on the banks of a marsh that was a tribute to the spirit of the source of the waters.”
Kahwash says that his group has already been in touch with European partners and organized for locals living near the historical sites to accommodate visitors to the sites, and to provide them with food and lodging.
“This also encourages the rural population to settle on their lands and preserve their own cultural heritage,” he suggests.
Gafsa governorate is also known for its more recent traditions and cultural heritage. A thriving fabric and wool industry has seen items like the traditional burnous cloak as well as the rugs and blankets known as margoum become popular. However because of a lack of private enterprise and state support, much of the production is still only personal.
The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization, which is tasked with achieving food security and improving agricultural productivity, among other things, has also established the Gafsa oasis project. This aims to preserve the parts of Gafsa – around 700 hectares – that provide arable farm land by teaching locals about the best farming methods and irrigation.
Despite all this though, it seems that Gafsa’s unemployed youth still have just one career in mind. Ask around and you’ll find that most of them still answer any queries about where they’d like to work with three letters: GPC.
