The Algerian agricultural sector between the question of food security and its implication in economic diversification strategy

Abstract

AbstractThe agricultural sector in Algeria has always sparked a fascinating and captivating debate for years, in particular in the phase of economic transition started and triggered after the sharp fall in the price of the barrel and the need to adapt to the new, more liberal, and opened economic mechanism. Many scientific writings were devoted to this subject, in particular O. Bessaoud, S. Bedrani, M. Boukella, A. Daoudi, A. Djennane, and others, trying to demonstrate and approve the crucial role played by this sector in the national economy, others to enumerate and identify the hiccups and obstacles to the smooth running of it, but the result remains that agriculture (in all its branches and sub‐activities) does not seem to reach its cruising speed and is content just to meet the expectations and needs of domestic consumers, with particular attention to the prices and quality of products and goods supplied. Of course, we must not deny the efforts made by the State to revive this sector, through the investment programs and the financial envelopes granted, the most resounding consists in the PNDAR (National Agricultural and Rural Development Program) at the beginning 2000, but the result shows a deplorable situation, which does not find a real argument and explanation, despite the innumerable interventions of local administrations (banks, taxes, insurance, justice, customs, and others). So we find ourselves faced with a state of affairs that hardly favors a serious enough reflection on the future deadlines of the sector, in particular in a context where the question of food security arises acutely and the return to the problem of economic diversification (in which a more preponderant and crucial role is reserved for the agricultural sector) is making a strong comeback on the national scene. Our main problem is as follows: “Could the agricultural sector in Algeria succeed to guarantee food security and a contribution in the economic diversification of the State.” For this purpose, some findings can be traced such as the economic perspectives of agriculture, the question of food security, the future of Algerian economy, the policy and strategy of economic diversification, and others. The main results expected turned mainly about the evolution of agricultural products for food consumption, the tools to manage the policy of food security, the means used to realize the economic diversification, and the nature of relation between the agricultural sector and the economic diversification. The scientific methods to be exploited in this paper will be mainly a descriptive analysis based on exploring the agricultural production, the food's consumption evolution, and the evolution of some macroeconomic indicators. Regarding this fact, we will try, in this paper, to seriously and objectively examine what role this sector can play in a double vision: ensuring food security for the population and getting involved in economic diversification initiatives for better economic international competitiveness.