Algeria-Italy: Timimoun Project Drives Expansion of Agricultural Cooperation
Algeria and Italy are moving to expand cooperation in the agricultural sector, from the supply of machinery and equipment to the development of integrated production and industrial projects.
At the center of this effort is the Algerian-Italian BF El Djazair Group project in Timimoun, with an estimated investment of €420 million. The company is preparing to launch a new wheat-growing campaign in October, with plans to develop around 24 hectares of the 36-hectare area covered by the initiative.
Bruno Santorelli, general manager of BF Algeria, told the Italian news agency Nova that the joint venture, established in 2024 between Italy’s BF Group and Algeria’s National Investment Fund, has entered its second agricultural season and is progressing according to schedule.
The project involves the cultivation of durum wheat, chickpeas, lentils, dry beans and corn, alongside the development of irrigation systems, silos, logistics facilities and agricultural and food-processing plants, including a pasta production facility.
Water management will rely on wells, distribution networks and center-pivot irrigation systems, supported by precision-farming technologies and digital mapping. These tools are designed to monitor crop conditions and water consumption while improving irrigation efficiency. The project will also include windbreaks and measures to curb soil erosion and the encroachment of sand.
The project is expected to create more than 6,700 jobs, including over 1,560 direct positions, with additional employment and business opportunities potentially emerging in transportation, maintenance, logistics, spare-parts supply and technical services.
The partnership comes as Algeria’s imports of Italian agricultural machinery and equipment rose from $34.43 million in 2024 to $49.45 million in 2025, according to data presented by Nova during an Algerian-Italian economic forum focused on agricultural mechanization, innovation and digital transformation.
The forum brought together 13 Italian companies operating in the agricultural sector and around 90 Algerian economic stakeholders. Bilateral business meetings were also held to explore opportunities for moving beyond equipment imports toward the establishment of joint production projects.
Zahreddine Salhi, director of agricultural investment at Algeria’s Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries, said Algeria is working to accelerate mechanization to increase productivity and reduce post-harvest losses. The country is also expanding the use of precision agriculture, drones, remote sensing, artificial intelligence and water-efficient irrigation systems.
According to data presented at the forum, agriculture accounts for around 14% of Algeria’s gross domestic product, with output estimated at approximately $38.2 billion in 2024. The sector provides more than 2.7 million jobs across some 1.3 million enterprises, while domestic production covers around 73% of the country’s agricultural needs.
To facilitate farmers’ and investors’ access to machinery, the Ministry of Agriculture presented Agrodrive, an entity tasked with establishing and managing a national fleet of agricultural machinery. The initiative is intended to enable farmers to use tractors and other equipment without having to bear the full cost of purchasing them individually.
Meanwhile, the Italian Trade Agency, in cooperation with FederUnacoma, is organizing an Italian business mission to Algeria on September 28 and 29. The delegation will include companies specializing in agricultural machinery, digital technologies, smart irrigation, fruit and vegetable nurseries and storage solutions, as well as business-to-business meetings and field visits to farms and agricultural investment projects.
