Why is there a shortage of agricultural labor in Algeria? Evidence from M'zirâa, southern Algeria's leading vegetable market

The amplification of labor shortages has become an inescapable reality for many Algerian farmers in recent years. To study this issue, systemic surveys were conducted in 125 farms in the vegetable crops pole of M'zirâa (southern Algeria). A labor shortage is reported on 56.80% of far...

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Main Authors: Marouane CHAAMI, Slimane BEDRANI, Abdelwahab BESSAAD, Fatima LAMBARRAA-LEHNHARDT
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Bologna University press 2025-03-01
Series:New Medit
Online Access:https://newmedit.ciheam.org/2024/12/09/why-is-there-a-shortage-of-agricultural-labor-in-algeria-evidence-from-mziraa-southern-algerias-leading-vegetable-market/
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author Marouane CHAAMI
Slimane BEDRANI
Abdelwahab BESSAAD
Fatima LAMBARRAA-LEHNHARDT
author_facet Marouane CHAAMI
Slimane BEDRANI
Abdelwahab BESSAAD
Fatima LAMBARRAA-LEHNHARDT
author_sort Marouane CHAAMI
collection DOAJ
description The amplification of labor shortages has become an inescapable reality for many Algerian farmers in recent years. To study this issue, systemic surveys were conducted in 125 farms in the vegetable crops pole of M'zirâa (southern Algeria). A labor shortage is reported on 56.80% of farms. The primary causes, as identified by respondents, are poor working and living conditions (76.67%) and low wages, which are considered insufficient by both workers and new settlers (70.67%). On the other hand, employment opportunities in the tertiary sector offer more interesting incomes compared to agricultural activity, which is becoming less remunerative and less attractive. Furthermore, the employment policies help the unemployed to create their microenterprises (78.67%). However, human capital (62.67%), personal behavior (76.00%) and the socio-economic situation of the young workforce (55.33%) explain their negative work perception of work in agriculture. The logistic regression results show that remuneration and incentives, employment opportunities and youth personal behavior affect significantly the likelihood of a labor shortage.
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language English
publishDate 2025-03-01
publisher Bologna University press
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series New Medit
spelling doaj-art-e46b4f62ba4a4450bb7a4bc845538cae2025-08-20T02:56:37ZengBologna University pressNew Medit2611-11282025-03-011202510.30682/nm2501hWhy is there a shortage of agricultural labor in Algeria? Evidence from M'zirâa, southern Algeria's leading vegetable marketMarouane CHAAMISlimane BEDRANIAbdelwahab BESSAADFatima LAMBARRAA-LEHNHARDT The amplification of labor shortages has become an inescapable reality for many Algerian farmers in recent years. To study this issue, systemic surveys were conducted in 125 farms in the vegetable crops pole of M'zirâa (southern Algeria). A labor shortage is reported on 56.80% of farms. The primary causes, as identified by respondents, are poor working and living conditions (76.67%) and low wages, which are considered insufficient by both workers and new settlers (70.67%). On the other hand, employment opportunities in the tertiary sector offer more interesting incomes compared to agricultural activity, which is becoming less remunerative and less attractive. Furthermore, the employment policies help the unemployed to create their microenterprises (78.67%). However, human capital (62.67%), personal behavior (76.00%) and the socio-economic situation of the young workforce (55.33%) explain their negative work perception of work in agriculture. The logistic regression results show that remuneration and incentives, employment opportunities and youth personal behavior affect significantly the likelihood of a labor shortage.https://newmedit.ciheam.org/2024/12/09/why-is-there-a-shortage-of-agricultural-labor-in-algeria-evidence-from-mziraa-southern-algerias-leading-vegetable-market/
spellingShingle Marouane CHAAMI
Slimane BEDRANI
Abdelwahab BESSAAD
Fatima LAMBARRAA-LEHNHARDT
Why is there a shortage of agricultural labor in Algeria? Evidence from M'zirâa, southern Algeria's leading vegetable market
New Medit
title Why is there a shortage of agricultural labor in Algeria? Evidence from M'zirâa, southern Algeria's leading vegetable market
title_full Why is there a shortage of agricultural labor in Algeria? Evidence from M'zirâa, southern Algeria's leading vegetable market
title_fullStr Why is there a shortage of agricultural labor in Algeria? Evidence from M'zirâa, southern Algeria's leading vegetable market
title_full_unstemmed Why is there a shortage of agricultural labor in Algeria? Evidence from M'zirâa, southern Algeria's leading vegetable market
title_short Why is there a shortage of agricultural labor in Algeria? Evidence from M'zirâa, southern Algeria's leading vegetable market
title_sort why is there a shortage of agricultural labor in algeria evidence from m ziraa southern algeria s leading vegetable market
url https://newmedit.ciheam.org/2024/12/09/why-is-there-a-shortage-of-agricultural-labor-in-algeria-evidence-from-mziraa-southern-algerias-leading-vegetable-market/
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