Algeria: a flourishing agricultural hub in the desert

The Algerian Sahara has become a true agricultural hub in Africa. Despite the arid desert that characterizes it, the El Oued region has flourished a rich and sustainable ecosystem, strengthening the country's food security and economy. For several decades, green plots have coexisted with the sand dunes of the El Oued desert. Indeed, with several hundred thousand hectares of crops, the region has become one of the richest and most surprising agricultural platforms in Algeria.The secret of the region’s oases lies in the use of modern technologies and the development of microsystems. The Ghout technique is also a Unesco World Heritage. Palm trees are planted directly above the water table, at the bottom of large funnels dug in the sand. The secondary plantations are then placed on the edge of the funnels and irrigated by balance wells, thus allowing an economical irrigation preserving the water resources.