A tourist circuit promoting Tunisia's national spice "Harissa", listed by UNESCO as part of the world's intangible heritage, is being set up as part of the "Harissa Diari" project run by the Green Compass association, GIZ announced on Saturday. Harissa Diari, a spicy sauce based on red pepper puree, is an integral part of the Tunisian household and daily culinary and food traditions. It is usually prepared by women in a convivial and festive family or neighbourhood setting. this national spice will be inscribed by UNESCO as part of the intangible heritage of humanity, on Thursday, December 1, 2022. As part of the project, a test plot of chilli pepper plants was set up in Takelsa, Nabeul Governorate, to be used as a training ground for the women farmers involved in the project. Support was also provided to the women farmers, covering the various stages of production, from picking the chilli peppers to crushing them for processing into harissa. The farmers were also trained in organic farming. A harissa processing workshop has been set up at the headquarters of the Takelsa local extension unit to enable the women artisans to show visitors their know-how and the culinary and social practices involved in making harissa. This space will also give them a permanent place to work throughout the year. Another nine plots will be created in February 2024 for 9 farmers in the Takelsa region as part of the same harissa promotion project, according to the Green Compass association. The "Harissa Diari" project is an initiative of the Green Compass Association as part of the UNESCO World Heritage Route, supported by the "Promotion of Sustainable Tourism" project. The "Promotion of Sustainable Tourism" project is implemented by the Ministry of Tourism and Handicrafts with the support of GIZ and co-funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the European Union through its "Tounes Wijhetouna" programme. Founded in 1983, Green Compass specialises in the defence and conservation of national wealth and marine and terrestrial biodiversity.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse