Five years after the Agadir Commitment was adopted, Algeria is stepping up its fight against desertification by deepening cooperation with Türkiye and other Mediterranean partners. The initiative, launched in 2017 under the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), aims to reduce land degradation and boost food security across North Africa and the Middle East. For Algerian entrepreneurs, this shift opens fresh opportunities in green tech, water management and renewable energy projects that target arid and semi-arid zones.
The Agadir Commitment brought together seven countries—Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine and Tunisia—plus Türkiye as a strategic ally. Its core goal was to reverse soil erosion and restore 15 million hectares of degraded land by 2030. Algeria has pledged to restore 3.3 million hectares, an area larger than Belgium, by mobilizing local communities and international funds. According to the FAO’s latest assessment published in December 2022, Türkiye has emerged as a key supplier of drought-resistant seeds, solar-powered irrigation kits and training programs for smallholders in Algeria’s southern wilayas.
Algeria’s push aligns with President Abdelmadjid Tebboune’s broader economic diversification plan, which prioritizes agriculture, renewable energy and sustainable infrastructure. In the National Economic Recovery Plan 2020–2024, the government allocated 1.2 billion euros to combat desertification, channeling funds through the Agricultural Development Agency (ADA) and the National Agency for the Valorization of Natural Resources (ANV). These agencies now offer grants and low-interest loans to startups developing drip irrigation systems, hydroponic farms and wind-powered desalination plants for oases. In 2025, ADA approved 187 such projects, up from 42 in 2021, signaling growing investor confidence.
For the Algerian diaspora, the fight against desertification presents a rare chance to re-engage with the homeland through knowledge transfer and venture funding. Diaspora networks such as the Algerian Entrepreneurs Abroad platform have begun organizing pitch competitions for green startups targeting southern Algeria. In a recent webinar hosted by the Ministry of Agriculture in Algiers, diaspora investors from France and Canada committed 5 million euros to three agro-tech ventures specializing in date-palm tissue culture and solar-powered cold storage. “We see this as a triple win,” said Yacine Benmouhoub, a Montreal-based engineer who co-founded a water-saving startup. “We generate returns, reduce Algeria’s food imports and help repopulate abandoned oases.”
Yet challenges remain. Algeria’s desert covers 85 percent of its territory, and climate projections warn of more frequent droughts. Water scarcity is already biting: in 2023, the High Commission for Water Resources reported that 14 wilayas faced severe shortages, threatening barley and wheat harvests that account for 20 percent of national cereal output. Entrepreneurs eyeing the sector must navigate bureaucratic hurdles, including land tenure rules in the Sahara and limited access to foreign currency for importing specialized equipment.
Despite these obstacles, tangible progress is visible. In the wilaya of Tamanrasset, a local cooperative has doubled date production by adopting solar-powered irrigation funded through ADA’s Green Economy Window, a 50 million euro program launched in 2022. Another success story is the Bechar solar-desalination plant, inaugurated in 2024, which supplies 3,000 cubic meters of fresh water daily to farms and households. The plant was built by a consortium led by Algerian firm New Energy Algeria (NEAL) and French partner Vergnet, demonstrating how cross-border partnerships can deliver scalable solutions.
Looking ahead, Algeria’s entrepreneurs have a clear playbook: align with the Agadir Commitment’s targets, secure ADA grants, and leverage diaspora networks for capital and expertise. The government has also signaled openness to foreign direct investment in green tech, with a new investment law passed in 2025 offering tax breaks for projects that reduce carbon emissions or restore degraded land. For those willing to work in the Sahara’s harsh conditions, the rewards include long-term contracts and preferential access to expanding markets in West Africa, where Algerian agro-tech is gaining traction.
Key takeaway for entrepreneurs
Algeria’s fight against desertification is creating a US$200 million annual market for green agribusiness and renewable water solutions. Entrepreneurs should target grants from ADA’s Green Economy Window and partner with diaspora investors to access capital. The government’s 2025 incentives favor projects that restore land or cut emissions, offering tax breaks and priority procurement in public tenders.
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