This report presents findings from a participatory assessment of the shellfisheries conducted under the Women Shellfishers and Food Security Project funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The assessment was conducted in 11 coastal West African countries: Senegal, The Gambia, Guinea Bissau, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Benin, and Nigeria. The findings are presented in two main sections. Section 1 describes the purpose and scope of the assessment and Section 2 presents the regional overview of shellfisheries in West Africa. The report covers key data gaps identified in an initial literature review conducted prior to this study including estimated mangrove cover, presence of women shellfishers, and number of women shellfishers. Detailed country reports were also produced as part of this activity and are compiled in separate documents.
