Formal and informal agricultural extension and advice in Algeria

In Algeria, dairy cattle breeders are faced with weak support from technical institutions and state extension services, difficult access to financing and a milk sector that does not contribute to reducing the level of risk. Breeders find it very difficult to predict the future and to project themselves into the future. They have little room for maneuver due to a lack of agricultural land, labor force and financing. This paper aims to analyze the current agricultural extension and advisory system in Algeria, advocating its reform with a new technical advisor. We postulate the hypothesis that development agents are poorly equipped to deal with the different types of production systems and the establishment of effective technical support. They still do not conform to the expectations of breeders. To answer our hypothesis, we took the example of the milk sector in Algeria. We focused on the technical advisor and his relationship with farmers in two potential dairy basins. The latter is a civil servant at the level of state services, chosen in view of the preponderance of his role in extension and agricultural advice for the benefit of stockbreeders.

Autorentext
Zakia Himeur is an Algerian agronomic and zootechnical researcher. Specialist in farm systems, agricultural advisory services, Introduction of innovations in livestock farming techniques on small family farms and decision-making by dairy cattle farmers.