EU, Italy, France Partner with Algeria on Organic Farming
On September 23rd, Algeria, alongside the European Union, officially inaugurated an institutional twinning project dedicated to enhancing the nation's organic farming regulatory framework and the labeling of agricultural products. This 24-month initiative, supported by the European Union with 1 million euros (approximately 1.14 million USD) in funding, involves the expertise of Italy, serving as the lead Member State, and France. The Italian and French ministries of agriculture are set to provide their specialized knowledge to Algeria's Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development, and Fisheries, with operational assistance from Eutalia.
The primary objective of this project is to assist Algeria in establishing a functional regulatory and organizational framework for organic farming. This includes clearly defining the responsibilities of various bodies involved, alongside implementing robust control and certification procedures. A key aim is also to bolster the skills of stakeholders responsible for the effective operation of the future national framework, thereby bringing Algeria's national standards into closer alignment with European guidelines and strengthening the capacities of certification and labeling authorities. While Algeria already possesses a legislative framework acknowledging organic farming and the Agricultural Quality Label (LAQ), its full implementation is currently ongoing.
A second crucial component of the program focuses on the comprehensive rollout of the Agricultural Quality Label (LAQ). This involves providing support to five pilot sectors, where efforts will be directed towards analyzing products, identifying their specific characteristics, and establishing clear quality criteria. This work is intended to culminate in the drafting of five detailed sets of specifications for submission to the National Labeling Committee. Furthermore, the project is designed to prepare producers, processors, trade organizations, and technical bodies for the successful implementation of these forthcoming quality plans, fostering a robust and internationally aligned agricultural sector.
