ALGIERS- The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Abdelhamid Hamdani said Monday in Algiers that Algeria had achieved “significant gains” in terms of food security, noting that its sector has become “the locomotive of economic and social development”.
Algeria has succeeded in reaching the first place in Africa in terms of food security according to the classification of the World Food Program (WFP) of the United Nations, said Mr. Hamdani in a speech delivered during the celebration of World Food Day. food held at the Palais des Expositions.
The Minister stressed that his sector was working to multiply these achievements, in particular through the implementation of the roadmap for 2020-2024.
This roadmap aims to develop agricultural production through the expansion of irrigated areas, the improvement of profitability levels, the rational use of agricultural land and the promotion of steppe areas, in addition to the integration of knowledge and digitization of sector development programs.
The Agriculture sector program aims to promote investment in the South, particularly with regard to rapeseed and corn harvests, in addition to durum wheat in the regions concerned.
Mr. Hamdani recalled, moreover, that the Agriculture sector constituted 12.4% of the gross domestic product (GDP), or more than 25 billion USD and guaranteed more than 2.6 permanent jobs.
After recalling the socioeconomic situation due to the covid-19 pandemic, the minister praised the efforts of farmers and herders, adding that “the country has not recorded any shortage throughout the pandemic”.
As a reminder, the ceremony to celebrate World Food Day took place in the presence of the Ministers of the Environment, Samia Moualfi, of Industry, Ahmed Zeghdar, of Fisheries and Fishery Products, Hicham Sofiane Salaouatchi , Higher Education and Scientific Research, Abdelbaki Benziane and Energy Transition and Renewable Energies, Benattou Ziane as well as the Representative of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization.
