The agricultural sector in Algeria employs more than a quarter of the national workforce, or 2.7 million workers while ensuring 75% coverage of national food needs.
The agricultural sector contributes 18% to the gross domestic product (GDP), or more than 4,747 billion dinars (35 billion dollars), said yesterday in Algiers, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Youcef Cherfa.
In a speech read on his behalf by the secretary general of the ministry, on the occasion of the official opening of the 24th edition of the International Agricultural and Agro-Industry Exhibition (Sipsa Filaha), the minister underlined that “the sector is experiencing great dynamics and constitutes a lever for national food security”, indicating that the agricultural sector in Algeria employs more than a quarter of the national workforce, or 2.7 million workers, while ensuring 75% coverage of national food needs.
On this occasion, the minister highlighted Algeria’s contribution and its tireless efforts in promoting the African economy, particularly in terms of food security, through the strengthening of Saharan culture and development. investment within the framework of South-South cooperation.
The Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment of the African Union (AU), Josefa Sacko, present at this Show, affirmed for her part that “Algeria has of a resilient agricultural sector which can promote the strengthening of trade within the framework of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)”.
Recalling that the resilience of the Algerian agricultural sector was demonstrated during the Covid-19 pandemic, allowing the country to avoid major disruptions in the agricultural supply chain, the Angolan agronomist explained that “the AfCFTA can serve as a bridge effective for Algeria to market its agricultural products on the integrated African market and strengthen its commercial relations in an area with 1.4 billion inhabitants.
Ms. Sacko also discussed Algeria’s strategy to diversify its economy and develop certain sub-sectors, stressing that this approach “offers strong potential for the country to strengthen its trade with Africa.”
Highlighting the efforts made by Algeria to promote intra-African trade, particularly in the logistics and transport aspect, the diplomat explained that the common African agro-industrial parks (CAAPs), which the African Union is working to launch, can constitute “another way for Algeria to establish food corridors based on competitive regional value chains within the framework of the AfCFTA”.
The opening ceremony of this edition, organized by the think tank Filaha Innov, took place in the presence of the Sahrawi Minister of Economic Development, the advisor to the Minister of Agriculture of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, guest of honor of this edition, and the Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture of the African Union Commission, Josefa Leonel Sacko, in addition to representatives of different ministerial departments, professional bodies, and national councils.
Organized over an area of 30,000 m2 at the Palais des Expositions in Algiers, the Show, which is expected to welcome 35,000 visitors, saw the participation of 39 countries and more than 700 exhibitors.
A varied range of products, to meet the needs of the rural world, agricultural operations, and livestock professionals, is offered to visitors through the various stands, highlighting equipment and installations for livestock buildings, food supply animals and beverages, fishing, and aquaculture materials, as well as others for working the soil and maintaining rural and forest areas.
The Show also offers in its chapter dedicated to sustainable development a range of agro-supplies including seeds, fertilizers, and phytosanitary products.
This trade show also houses international pavilions, like that of Brazil, marked by the participation of meat-producing and exporting companies.
Other segments of the agricultural sector, including Turkey, Italy, the Netherlands, France, Spain, and China, are present through several companies. Sipsa Filaha 2024 will also see, from today, the holding of the Pan-African Conference on the Food Debate (The Panafrican Food Debate -Algiers Edition).
