New places of leguminous crop in the cropping system of the North African countries

Abstract

Legumes continue to be present in the agricultural systems of the North Africa countries (Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia). Their culinary benefits on human health as well as their benefits on animal nutrition are well recognized. The current average level of use of forage legumes (FgL) is not well known while the consumption levels of food legumes (FL) by these countries is around 8.366 kg /year/inhabitant and the needs are increasing, leading to increasing imports (335 975 T in 2013). Beans, chickpea and lentil account for the largest share of imports. The greatest limitations to achieving a satisfactory level of FL needs are the decline in area, low productivity, population growth and development policy failures. In 2013, FL areas were only 574,000 ha; down 42.6% from the 1970s. Average production was 456,000 T; registered a decrease by 38.2%, with an average yield of 8.8 q/ha, an increase of 14.1%. The tremendous wheat imports conducted the policymakers in these countries to encourage wheat production by given a lot of benefits over the last 40 years. These policies have nothelped the development of FL and other crops in cereal production systems. In recent years, policy-makers, aware of the situation, are trying to strengthen the development of FL through enhancing some rehabilitation programs