Analysis and Diagnosis of the Diversity of Forage Resources in the Semi-arid Region of Setif

The issue of sustainable development of livestock systems in Algeria, is in the mode of resolution of the issue of the growing gap between supply of forage and needs of a growing pet population.

In this context, this study aims to analyze the current situation of forage resources in the semi-arid region of Setif which is, by its central position a crossroads between East and West, North and South of Algeria. The study was carried out over two consecutive seasons (2009/2010 and 2010/2011) and at different sites (North, South and Center) through two lots of farms. The methodological approach adopted consists in a series of investigations of a large number of farms (58 for 2009/2010 season and 61 for 2010/2011 season) which are mainly based on a survey to a broad way for gathering maximum information including forage resources in the study area. The questionnaire consists of three components: The social side, the technical side and the economic one; also making a socio-geographical characterization of vetch in the same region. The results of these investigations revealed that this region is characterized by the combination of cereals (especially durum wheat) to breeding which the power supply suffers from a large deficit and which relying heavily on very modest production of natural forage resources as the share of fodder crops remains negligible in front rate of needs of animals which are growing increasingly leaving the sector always dependent upon the foreign. This situation prevailed for many years.

The results of the typological approach as statistical treatment of the data collected (multiple components analysis "ACM" and Ascending Hierarchical classification "CAH"), helped first to make a brief characterization of the illustrative variables, then identify by the active variables, six classes throughout the first sample (2009/2010) and three or four classes in the second sample (2010/2011); these classes differ from each other mainly in terms of areas: the third class for each seasons, being the largest with 919.14 ha on average. Developing a typology of farms in the study area, has helped to identify an elite among the samples constituted of the classes n°: 3,2 and 1, however a very important point emerges from this study concerning all the farms which is deficiency of feed resources including cultivated forages such as alfalfa, sorghum, etc ... accusing a deficit of 84.48% and more particularly of the kind Vicia that is almost absent, registring a low presence of 7% compared to the samples.