Interview: Mohamed Laid Benamor
What can be done to further promote partnerships that increase the volume of exports?
MOHAMED LAID BENAMOR: Partnerships will indeed help to reduce imports and improve food security by diversifying farm production and promoting sustainable exploitation of resources. They will also encourage the private sector to take advantage of abundant opportunities in food processing, conservation technologies and marketing initiatives, as well as in the areas of expertise transfer, capacity building and knowledge sharing.
Targeted efforts should be made to build partnerships, especially within the agri-food industry, to boost exports. To improve competitiveness, small and medium-sized enterprises should undertake measures to integrate equipment modernisation and foster competitiveness. This requires training human resources, improving marketing, searching for and tapping into new markets and seeking alliances and new partnerships.
How can a regular supply of wheat be guaranteed?
BENAMOR: Algeria is working to improve cereal production to meet local demand for wheat and decrease its food import bill. However, the current market climate of decreased production in North America and climbing global prices has reinforced the country’s dependence on wheat imports in the short term. The Algerian Cereals Office (Office Algérien Interprofessionnel des Céréales, OAIC) confirmed in August 2012 that the harvest was weaker than expected, complicated by logistical difficulties in crop collection. As a result, the OAIC went against its policy and purchased significant quantities of durum wheat from several different countries.
Algeria has also recently made major purchases of milling wheat to offset insufficient national production and decreased global supply. Severe drought in the US and unusually dry weather in other producing countries have created concerns over global wheat supply levels and sharp price hikes as importers move to increase stocks. To mitigate such conditions, a good knowledge of processes and adequate logistics are necessary. More storage, elevators and development of grain farming are prerequisites for regular supply.
How can the national supply of processed agricultural products be improved?
BENAMOR: Algerians must have faith in their potential and capacity to produce better and more, and all this can be achieved only with the strong support of all sector actors, such as farmers, processors, manufacturers, researchers, public authorities, etc. We must produce more and better and not just improve yields.
Professionals should also focus on the quantity and quality needed to meet the increasing demand of consumers for high-quality products. This pushes us to always evolve while adjusting our objectives, based on the constraints encountered at all stages.
In what ways could modernised production methods enhance the potential of local varieties?
BENAMOR: It always comes back to the crucial point of research and development, and Algeria has found itself delayed in this arena. However, work is under way to improve in this respect. Regarding varieties, Algeria had high potential, but this has not been nurtured, and therefore did not maintain the process for producing more resistant crop varieties needed to cope with climate change. To do this, initiatives to improve existing varieties and introduce new ones are being implemented in partnership with advanced laboratories.
What obstacles must be overcome to improve yield per hectare and gain new arable land?
BENAMOR: There are two major constraints. On the one hand, there is limited agricultural area (small plots), and on the other hand, producers are in need of new technology and mechanisation. We have very fertile land and highly motivated young farmers who want to develop new techniques to make their land profitable and raise their income. These strengths will help diversify the industry and respect the land and crop rotations.
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