(Ecofin Agency) - Meeting with authorities in charge of arable land, Algeria’s minister of agriculture, rural development and fishery, Abdesselam Chelghoum, announced that the State has recovered more than 100,000 hectares of non-used arable lands across the nation over the past six months. These lands were distributed in the framework of a programme to boost access to land (APFA) and in respect to an inter-minister circular aiming to establish new husbandry and agricultural farms in 2011.

“The recovery operation, through contract cancellation or title withdrawal, began in September 2016. To date, 100,000ha were recovered by cancelling contracts of beneficiaries. Things have changed a lot. We are looking for partners to work with the State in the framework of its strategy to insure food security and diversify the economy,” said the minister.

The land transfer process which aims to valorize the properties falls in line with the Algerian government plan to improve land management – both agricultural and urban – in the country. To this end, the government launched mid-March an initiative to digitize all land archives.

Souha Touré