Agriculture
From The Report: Algeria 2014
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Although agriculture’s contribution to GDP had dipped slightly from 10% in 2012, domestic output is on the rise. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development estimates that the value of agricultural production increased five-fold over the last 15 years, from €4.65bn in 2001 to €23.81bn in 2013. The government has made it a priority to boost domestic production to reduce its ever-rising import bill and end the country’s reliance on imports of dietary staples such as cereals and milk. Government efforts to subsidise fertilisers, certified seeds, machinery and irrigation equipment have helped to modernise the sector. The presence of private agro-industry groups should further help to carry this effort onwards and increase productivity going forwards.

This chapter contains interviews with Abdelwahab Nouri, Minister of Agriculture; and Hocine Mansour Metidji, CEO, Group Metidji.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

Efforts to structure the sector are boosting productivity
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Agriculture is an anchor of Algeria’s non-hydrocarbons economy, contributing 8.9% of GDP and employing over 2.4m people in 2013. The government has made it a priority to boost domestic production to reduce its ever-rising import bill and end the country’s reliance on imports of dietary staples such as cereals and milk. Algeria has made great strides since the 2008 launch of its Agricultural and Rural Renewal Policy (Politique du Renouveau Agricole et Rural, PRAR), and both public and private…

Analysis

The sector relies on imports of key products despite rising food output
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Authorities have made food security a top priority in the last five years, considering Algeria’s growing population, rising consumption and income levels, and its exposure to volatile commodity prices. Food imports increased nearly 65% in the last five years from €4.3bn in 2009 to €7bn in 2013. Food represented 17.5% of total imports in 2013, and its value has continued to rise in 2014. Algeria’s oil and gas resources have put it on a comfortable financial footing, but the impact of the…

Interview

OBG talks to Abdelwahab Nouri, Minister of Agriculture
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Interview: Abdelwahab Nouri How can the performance of Algeria’s agricultural sector be improved in the coming years? ABDELWAHAB NOURI: In recent years Algeria has sought to improve its food security by increasing production levels and outputs through the Agricultural and Rural Development Plan. To that end, public powers are in the process of reorganising agricultural activities in order to focus on the operational objectives of each sector. Value chains will be organised according to a sector-based…

Interview

OBG talks to Hocine Mansour Metidji, CEO, Group Metidji
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Interview: Mansour Metidji What is being done to improve crop yields? MANSOUR METIDJI: The first push to restructure and improve yields came through the application of two laws: Law No. 08-16 of August 3, 2008, which determines the allocation of agricultural land, and Law No. 10-03 of August 15, 2010, which lays down the terms of use for state-owned agricultural land. Through these reforms, the government has ensured that any such land that is operated by collectives or individuals benefits from…