Algeria Facing the Food Challenge

Abstract

The food security has been taken very seriously by the public authorities since the country's independence in 1962. This major social concern was affirmed in the various political speeches of leaders and in the national charter of 1974. A charter which proclaims the universal right of the population to healthy, varied, sustainable and accessible food for all. For this, a decisive role was given to the national agricultural and agri-food sector to ensure the supply of the population with basic foodstuffs at accessible prices targeting, in particular, disadvantaged social groups. A policy based strongly on a generalized and unconditional subsidy, granted to both consumers and producers. Agricultural policies were therefore designed and implemented to achieve this objective and achieve food self-sufficiency in the country. A mission entrusted to the national agricultural sector which will help reduce the country's food dependence on foreign countries and reduce its food bill. For this, several agricultural development programs were designed and implemented since the country's independence to make this sector a real engine of economic growth capable of feeding the population and also leading to the adequate development of other sectors located in upstream and downstream of its sphere. However, and despite the sincere desire of the public authorities and the scale of the investments made to make this sector efficient; the results obtained still remain modest and far from the expected objectives. Indeed, the analysis of the results obtained demonstrate that the contribution of the national agricultural and agri-food sector in covering the food needs of the population in basic food products (semolina, flour, sugar and milk), above all, remains low and reached 35% of the total of these needs. The rest of the food gap, i.e. 65%, is ensured by massive and systematic costly imports leading to an average annual bill which varies between 7.5 and 9.5 billion dollars covered by volatile oil revenue. This poor performance of the national agricultural and agri-food sector is attributed to the inconsistency and inadequacy of the agricultural policies and programs adopted by the State with the reality of the local economic and social environment. Added to this is an exclusive support for the nurturing role of the State which limits initiatives and encourages opportunism. In this article, we will try to clarify all these aspects of Algeria's food policy, its achievements, its limits and its future reforms.