Scientific event

Since independence, and especially in recent years, rural areas have witnessed rapid economic, social, spatial, and morphological transformations, primarily due to the impact of various public infrastructure development programs (education, health, drinking water, sanitation, etc.) and related infrastructure and networks (electricity, gas, internet, etc.), as well as housing (individual and collective).

The quality, scale, and alignment of public infrastructure and infrastructure projects in rural areas with the needs of the population raise several questions about the outcomes and consequences of development projects on the changes affecting individuals' living conditions, economic opportunities, and prospects (employment). Further questions arise regarding the effectiveness of the choices made, and those still under consideration. These include: What is the strategy for rural development projects? And what are the development and infrastructure models being implemented to achieve the stated objectives?

These programs have contributed to maintaining the stability of a rural population, preventing its depopulation during the first decade of independence. It is important to note in this context that while the increase in the rural population was positive, it was less significant than the increase in the urban population. In fact, the rural population declined in absolute terms for the first time since independence, starting in 2020, after reaching over 16 million inhabitants. Could this decline be considered the beginning of a process of migration similar to what occurred in European countries starting in the 1970s? What are the economic, social, and regional stakes involved in the issue of balanced territorial ownership as a strategic imperative in a country like Algeria (the largest country in Africa)?

The rural economy has changed significantly, particularly due to the considerable decline in the relative weight of the agricultural sector in the local economy (income and employment). The share of agricultural production in the economic activity of rural households has also decreased, despite the considerable growth in agricultural production in recent years. The services sector (both formal and informal) has assumed a prominent role, including employment. In this context, rural residents who are not strongly connected to agriculture now constitute a significant segment of the population, after having been marginalized in the post-independence period. This situation leads us to consider the following questions: What are the characteristics and features of rural residents not involved in agricultural activity today? What role will they play in the future within the dynamic processes of rural regions? And what roles do they currently play, and will they play in the future, in shaping the priorities and opportunities for rural development?

Despite its declining prominence, agriculture remains the structuring activity for many rural regions, influencing their development or decline and impacting the overall dynamics of these regions. In many areas of the northern hills, particularly in mountainous and non-irrigated regions, agricultural activity has not developed significantly; in fact, it has witnessed a marked decline in some areas. Structural obstacles and pressures related to the physical environment (climate, topography, and soil type) have played a role in limiting and restricting the prospects for rural development in these regions. This is compounded by climate change, which has contributed to the fragility of productive agricultural models that are resilient to these conditions.

Climate change now threatens all rainfed agriculture in the northern regions of the country, raising questions about the sustainability and effectiveness of the technical and economic models for this type of agriculture. The difficulties faced by this rainfed agriculture, which is currently in a state of non-adaptation, could encourage the emergence of other risks that might further contribute to aversion and abandonment of everything related to rural life and agricultural activity in the affected areas. Conversely, agricultural areas with potential and resources, particularly irrigated regions, are experiencing significant dynamism, evidenced by the intensification of rural development since the early 2000s, especially in desert and steppe regions. Several rural areas that were once impoverished and marginalized now find themselves, thanks to their water resources, participating in the economic dynamics of growth, driven by rapid and large-scale agricultural development, each according to its specific characteristics. This intensive, irrigated agriculture is typically undertaken by agricultural entrepreneurs who are not exclusively from rural areas, contributing to the dynamism of this type of agriculture in some rural regions and paving the way for the emergence of highly complex local economic realities. These agricultural dynamics and their underlying drivers, along with the specific characteristics and backgrounds of the entrepreneurs operating in this sector, are influential factors shaping the economic and social transformations of rural regions. They also affect the sustainability of natural resources, which today constitute areas of discussion worthy of scientific research.

This study day, as a scientific partnership initiative between the Research Center in Social and Cultural Anthropology (CRASC - Oran) and the National Higher School of Agriculture (Algiers), aims to revive academic debate on rural areas and related topics within the Algerian context, particularly after they have fallen out of favor in scholarly discourse. It also seeks to establish a framework for discussion and knowledge exchange among researchers from various disciplines who continue to work on this subject. We hope these discussions will open up future research avenues within the framework of interdisciplinary and institutional scientific collaboration on this multifaceted topic.