Science, Technology & Environment

World Day to Combat Desertification: 11.5 million trees planted since January 2020

ALGIERS- Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Cherif Omari said in Algiers on Thursday that as part of the National Reforestation Plan (PNR) more than 11.5 million trees were planted since the beginning of 2020, on an area of 23,000 hectares.

The minister chaired a national meeting on the fight against desertification, alongside Deputy Minister for Saharan Agriculture and Mountains Fouad Chahat and Deputy Minister for Sahrawi Environment, Hamza Al Sid Chikh.
The National Reforestation Plan placed under the slogan "a tree for each citizen" aims at preserving and enhancing the forest cover and, therefore, contributing to the fight against desertification.

The meeting which has been attended by experts, managers and agents from the Directorate General of Forests (DGF) is part of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification and Drought 2020 (UNCCD): Food. Feed. Fibre.

This year's slogan demonstrates "the importance of food and the requirements of sustainable development amid the growing deterioration of natural capacities," said the minister who recalled that Algeria "very early realized the impact of desertification, which led to take the measures likely to fight against this phenomenon through the revival of the post-independence reforestation program, including the Green Barrier in the 70s".