Algeria : Big projects devoured thousands of hectares of agricultural zones

The Algerian minister of agriculture, Said Barkaat has announced that his services have set up a committee over the last two weeks. This committee is in charge of settling judicial bylaws related to agriculture real estates.

.Being under investigation by the national gendarmerie services, the minister addressed firm instructions to chief executives in different regions of the country to stop implementing these adjudications to enable his services to state definitely on the matter

According to the minister, the committee has, so far, addressed 10 adjudications related to 10 regions and the operation will carry on for 10 more days.

He added that several coercive measures are currently submitted to the government, in a move to protect the agricultural regions. The minister announced that the focus was put on “barren” lands which total size is estimated at some 02 million hectares, mostly private ones.

As to the expropriated lands for public use, M. Barkat declared that the Algerian president has set up a special committee headed by the Algerian premier to supervise this important operation, adding that despite the importance of these lands, he cannot stand against the country’s development.

To recall, several agricultural zones have been expropriated as part of the major projects initiated by the Algerian presidents over the last few years, including the one million house units project as well as the East –west

highway.