BY: Dr. Hana Saada
Once seen as a remote desert, the Algerian South is now blooming with megaprojects in transport, agriculture, and industry—marking the birth of the “Californian Dream” of the Maghreb.
Algiers, Algeria | April 26th, 2025 — When President Abdelmadjid Tebboune first spoke of transforming Algeria’s Sahara into the “California of the Maghreb” during his 2019 presidential campaign, skeptics dismissed the idea as utopian. Yet, nearly six years into his presidency, that bold vision is rapidly becoming a concrete reality. Vast expanses of desert, once overlooked and underutilized, are now turning into engines of growth, job creation, and national pride.
The President’s recent visit to Béchar stands as a testament to this transformation. During his working and inspection tour, Tebboune inaugurated and launched strategic infrastructure projects, most notably the activation of the 100-kilometer Béchar-Abadla railway line. But this is only the beginning. The state is investing billions to build a robust transportation network that will connect the remote southern regions to the rest of Algeria—and beyond its borders.
Roads linking Tindouf to Zouerate in Mauritania, as well as the broader Trans-Saharan Highway, are underway. Moreover, transcontinental railway projects extending towards major European capitals are being studied. It is a Marshall Plan for the South, meticulously designed to unleash its dormant potential.
At the heart of this vision is a thriving agricultural revolution. The Sahara is becoming Algeria’s breadbasket, thanks to bold investments in Saharan farming. For the first time in decades, Algeria is on track to meet all of its national demand for durum wheat—largely due to the success of southern agriculture. This leap in food security is matched by the rise of agro-industrial initiatives that aim not only to produce but also to process locally.
Major partnerships with international investors are reshaping the landscape. In Adrar, the Algerian-Turkish farm Dunyasir is already operational. In Timimoun, a colossal Algerian-Italian project spanning 36,000 hectares is underway, with plans to cultivate cereals and legumes, install food processing units, storage silos, and agricultural infrastructure. This project alone is expected to generate over 6,700 jobs, including 1,600 permanent positions, while boosting exports beyond hydrocarbons.
One of the most ambitious initiatives is the Baladna dairy megaproject in Adrar, supported by Qatar. With a staggering investment of $3.5 billion, it aims to establish the world’s largest dairy farm, housing 200,000 cows and producing up to 1.7 billion liters of milk annually. This is not mere political rhetoric—contracts are signed, some facilities are already operational, and others are under construction.
The renewed interest in the South is driven by more than agriculture. The region holds immense untapped potential—sun-drenched lands, fertile soils, and one of the world’s largest underground water reserves, the Albian aquifer. Add to that the mining richness of sites like Ghar Djebilet, and the Sahara emerges as Algeria’s next economic frontier.
President Tebboune’s unwavering commitment to developing the southern provinces is rewriting Algeria’s modern history. His clear, forward-looking vision is turning forgotten lands into strategic hubs, and once-remote communities into thriving population centers. This is not merely development; it is national renaissance—rooted in sovereignty, innovation, and social equity.
The Sahara is no longer just a vast desert—it is Algeria’s new beating heart, blooming with ambition and illuminated by the light of a thousand rising projects.
