Algeria Boosts Sahara Wheat Project with €420m Investment
Algeria is accelerating the expansion of a large-scale wheat project in the Sahara desert. The project, developed jointly with Italian agribusiness group Bonifiche Ferraresi, covers 36,000 hectares in Timimoun province.
The concession area is suitable for irrigated farming, and investment in the project is estimated at €420 million. Production relies on center-pivot irrigation using underground aquifers, which allows plant nutrients to be applied in liquid form through irrigation due to the sandy soils' limited capacity to retain granular fertilizers.
The project targets durum wheat yields of 6 tons per hectare for the 2026 season, and a full value chain is being developed in Timimoun. This includes grain storage facilities, logistics terminals, and pasta plants to keep more value added within the country.