Transformation of collective farms of large irrigation schemes in Algeria. Issues and options: The case of the Lower Cheliff

The reform of the public agricultural sector in Algeria in 1987 led to the creation of collective and individual farms, smaller and more autonomous than the earlier state domains. This reform has been informally pursued from the 90s onwards with an individualisation of collective farms due to internal conflicts of assignees. We analyze the current crisis of the Algerian model of collective agriculture through an agrarian diagnosis of irrigated agriculture in the Lower Cheliff Valley. The aim is to understand the current differentiation between farms and to find the main factors influencing their development path. Our results show a great diversity of farm types and some heterogeneity in their economic performance, depending on the agricultural heritage of the state domains, as well as on farmers' capacity to develop local arrangements for access to water. The recognition of new farm types seems crucial to contribute to increasing agricultural production, which is the objective of a renewed agricultural policy.