El Menea – Algeria’s Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development, and Fisheries, Youssef Cherfa, announced on Tuesday the development of a three-year plan to expand irrigated agricultural areas to 3 million hectares by 2028.
During a press statement on the sidelines of his working visit to El Menea, Minister Cherfa emphasized that expanding irrigated farmland, particularly in the southern regions, is a vital step toward achieving the country’s agricultural goals. He noted that the irrigated areas currently cover 1.1 million hectares, with an annual expansion target of 250,000 hectares, in line with President Abdelmadjid Tebboune’s commitments.
Strategic Goals
The minister explained that the three-year plan, now operational as of this agricultural season, aims to ensure self-sufficiency while contributing to a projected GDP of $400 billion. In the previous season, the agricultural sector accounted for 15% of Algeria’s GDP, underscoring its strategic importance.
Cherfa also highlighted recent investments in storage infrastructure as evidence of the government’s determination to boost agricultural productivity, particularly in grain and seed production. He noted that these projects would significantly enhance storage capacities, especially in southern provinces that have recorded impressive yields in strategic crops.
Key Initiatives
During his visit, the minister inspected two grain storage centers under construction in El Menea, urging compliance with construction standards to ensure their readiness for the upcoming harvest season.
Cherfa also reviewed promising results from a sunflower cultivation project covering 50 hectares at a model farm owned by a private investor. He stressed the importance of expanding cultivation areas for such crops in the next season to support local production in oilseeds, sugar crops, and dry legumes, key sectors of Algeria’s agricultural transformation strategy.
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Author: nor-eleslam
*irrigation expansion, Algeria agriculture, sustainable farming, national food security, agricultural GDP growth
