Cereals' Technical Itinerary for Territorial and Environmental Sustainability in Ouargla Region: Evolution, Mutations, and Resilience of Cereal Agrosystems

Abstract

The sustainability of agriculture in the Saharan region is closely linked to the choice of technical practices and suitable cropping systems. In Ouargla, southeast Algeria, cereals are the main crop following date palm cultivation. The cereal farming system is experiencing significant changes due to environmental, social, and technological factors. This study looks at the development, changes, and resilience of pivot-irrigated cereal farming in Ouargla, focusing on its long-term sustainability. For this purpose, surveys were conducted at 18 farms in the Hassi Ben Abdallah area. The findings show that large farms use center-pivot irrigation in a fast-paced industrial model supported by mechanization and dependent on imported inputs. However, average yields vary widely and do not show consistent productivity improvements, affected by issues like weeds, rodents, and soil salinization, which threaten agricultural sustainability. In order to resolve this problem of salinization, a magnetic water desalination process was introduced for irrigation. Evaluations reveal that this technique lowers pH levels, adsorbed sodium index (SAR) and improves plant growth. Yields are significantly higher with magnetized water compared to non-magnetized. The study indicates that this approach could be a viable solution for enhancing the irrigation systems for the whole technical itinerary of cereals in the Sahara, demonstrating economic benefits as well.