Sustainability of irrigated land in the steppe areas of Algeria, the risk of hydraulic collapse

The article analyses the sustainability of irrigated land exploitation in a commune located in the steppe of Rechaiga, in Algeria, where, after a phase of strong expansion, the dynamics of irrigated agriculture seem to have slowed down for several years. The expansion phase, which lasted two decades, involved both local farmers and itinerant farmers coming from other regions of the country. The article examines the evolution of land tenure and production dynamics, in relation to the overexploitation of groundwater. Particular attention is paid to the functioning of the land rental market and its inclusiveness. Two key results emerge from the analysis. The drawdown of the water tables highlights the unsustainability of intensive irrigated market gardening in the steppe, or at least in parts of the steppe with same water conditions as the study area. The expansion phase of market gardening has been inclusive and benefited both to local and itinerant farmers, while the decline phase seems difficult for those who do not have the resources to adapt, particularly local farmers; the itinerants respond to the deterioration of local production conditions by looking for new production sites. Many of these farmers give up agriculture because they lack accessible alternative technical options.