The problematic of agricultural land property ownership policy in the wilaya of Laghouat

Abstract

This work aims at analyzing the expectations of the objectives assigned to Agricultural Land Property Access (ALPA) in the wilaya of Laghouat, namely the increase of agricultural production through the increase of the Utile Agricultural Area (UAA) and the mobilization of private capital. Then we try to understand why a number of ALPA beneficiaries have abandoned their land. The results show that although the APFA has allowed the increase of the UAA through the creation ex nihilo of farms and the regularization of the set-aside of rangelands, but it has rather favored the atomization of agrarian structures, where the small farm (<10 ha) is dominant (69.6% of the UAA). The cropping system implemented is extensive and not very innovative, with a large share of fallow land in the UAA. Private investment is derisory, except for some agricultural and water resources mobilization equipment and infrastructure (largely financed by public funds), no significant investment is to be reported. This study also shows that the abandonment of some beneficiaries of the development is due to the multiplicity of causes attributable to the incoherence, inadequacy and limitations of the agricultural development program.