DZA | Family Farming Knowledge Platform | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

In Algeria agriculture is an extremely important sector of the national economy. It covers the majority of the country’s territory and takes up more than 90 per cent of the existing 1,541 municipalities. It provides direct or indirect employment to13 million Algerians living in rural areas improving the living conditions of many families. Furthermore, it is recognized that agricultural employment generates at least three other types of occupation: transport, trade, valuation. Considering the agriculture and rural development policies framework, family farming is characterized by a special link that connects economic activity, family structure and the territory. The workforce is mainly composed of family members who are not employees and whose income depends on the agricultural activity.

In Algeria, small-scale, family farming is prominent, with more than 70 per cent of farms belonging to this category. Family farming accounts for local food security of populations often relying on agricultural activity, but its production is limited in quantity.

Some indicators of family farming structure in Algeria (General Census of Agriculture, 2001)

· Agricultural workforce:

It is composed of family workers, permanent employees and seasonal employees. Family workers (both permanent and seasonal) represent a workforce of 3,349,447 employees, including 768,984 women and are distributed as follows:

1 460 207 holders, among which 113,270 are women;
1 889 240 workers constituting the family workforce, including 655,714 women;

Permanent employees are 108,556, of which 4,958 are women; seasonal employees count 963,355 workers, including 23,487 women.

Size of the exploitations: 1 023 799 exploitations identified by the GCA-2001; among them, 70 per cent of farms have less than 10 ha of UAA (Utilized Agricultural Area) and 84 per cent of farms have less than 20 ha of UAA.

Main constraints facing family farming in Algeria

Legal status of agricultural land

Significant reforms have been made in recent years in particular for public owned lands (completion of the right of use’s conversion into concession fees) and for the access to land property through purchase (property title transfers). On the contrary, no action has been undertaken with reference to the private sector, which generally has a non-titled land, thus:

Non- titled personal property represents 252, 331 farms, namely 24, 65 per cent of the total;
Non- titled shared property represents 261. 005 exploitations, namely 25, 49 per cent of the total;

Overall, 50. 14 per cent of the farms are non –titled and represent 41, 05 per cent of the total UAA , that is 3, 472. 344 ha.

Age of farm workers

Farm holders aged over 60 represent 37 per cent (377,388) of the total. Based on UAA size per farm, they are as follows:

Less than 10 ha: 265 244 holders, 70 per cent of the total.
From 10 to less than 50 ha: 90 393 holders, 24 per cent of the total.
From 50 less than 200 ha: 6967 holders, or 1.9 per cent of the total.

With reference to women:

51 per cent of holders are over 60 years. Among them, 48 per cent are 70 and over.
2.1 per cent of women holders are under 30.

With reference to men:

36.2 per cent of holders is over 60 years. Among them, 43.5 per cent are 70 and over.
5.5 per cent of male farm managers are under 30.

Level of education

65 per cent of farm holders are uneducated;
29 per cent of them have a primary and secondary level of education; this secondary level accounts for 5 per cent of the total. The upper level accounts for only 1 per cent.
85 per cent of women holders are uneducated. Referring to men, the rate is 64 per cent.
32.6 per cent of holders under 40 years are uneducated.

Level of agricultural training

2.7 per cent of holders (27. 158) have received agricultural training: among them, 98.5 per cent are men and 1.5 per cent are women;
Out of the 27,158 farm managers who have received agricultural training, 53 per cent received an advanced course and 20 per cent are senior technicians or engineers.

Access to credit and social security:

The RFIG credit, whose cumulative granted amount is 72 billion dinars for the purchase of inputs, forage and other agricultural products in the framework of the Regulatory System for High Consumption Products (SYRPALAC);
The federal credit, whose total granted amount is 2.3 MDA for production of milk, cereals, potato seeds, table olives and olive oil; production and distribution of small agricultural tools, irrigation, greenhouses ...;
The leasing credit, whose overall amount of financing for the agricultural machinery program since 2008 is 3.5 MDA, of which 1.5 MDA represent the BADR-leasing financing (Algerian Bank of Rural Development).
The emergence of a new device (2016) to allow e farmers and their dependents to benefit from social security.

Agricultural Policies and Family Farming

At present, the policies planned by the Algerian authorities to promote agriculture - and especially the family farming component - are:

The recognition of a legal, economic and social status to family farming as a pillar of food security, of the fight against hunger and poverty and as a source of employment in rural areas, in particular for young people and women.
The integration of family farming as a central issue in the context of agricultural, rural and food policies.
Securing farmers by granting real property rights (especially to the most disadvantaged and most venerable, such as youth and women), promoting medium and long-term investments in small and medium-sized farms.
Integration of the management of natural and agricultural risks in the development of agricultural, rural and food policies; and the promotion of agricultural insurances (also counting on public support, particularly during the launch phase of these devices).
The establishment of an emergency plan to achieve farmers’ access to agricultural social insurance, which is a necessary prerequisite for setting up trained and qualified young farmers and therefore for the modernization of agriculture in Algeria.
Facilitate the establishment of trained young farmers in the reclaimed lands, through incentive schemes that allow the rapid replacement of older farmers still active on the farms.
The implementation of an extensive capacity-building program for farmers and breeders, focused on technical and scientific knowledge (training and extension) related to through the establishment of training institutions, technical institutes and agricultural research centres.
The promotion of mutual agricultural credit and insurance that might could support the very risky nature of agricultural activities, being able with the capacity to allow access to credit to the majority of farmers, and to support investment in farms and therefore agricultural development.
Focusing agricultural support on family farming and its integration; support to activities related to the protection of natural resources and the mountain, steppe and oasis environments

This text is kindly provided by the authorities of this country