Sheep Farming in Algeria: Challenges, Genetic Diversity and Prospects for Sustainable Development

Sheep farming holds a central role in Algeria's agrosylvopastoral landscape. Beyond its contribution to food security, it safeguards an exceptional reservoir of zoogenetic diversity and maintains strong cultural and ecological links to traditional pastoral societies. This article presents a multidisciplinary and diachronic analysis of the Algerian ovine sector, highlighting its historical evolution, breed diversity, structural weaknesses, and the potential for sustainable transformation. We explore the foundations of pastoral heritage, shaped by centuries of transhumance and local ecological knowledge, and analyze the genetic structure of major local breeds, revealing both richness and erosion. The research also sheds light on critical constraints affecting the sector (rangeland degradation, veterinary vulnerabilities, socioeconomic fragmentation) and examines promising pathways for modernization, including the integration of genomics, technical innovations, cooperative dynamics, and inclusive training approaches. Territorial governance, particularly the legal recognition of collective grazing rights and the establishment of quality labels, emerges as a cornerstone of sustainability. This study argues that Algerian sheep farming must be repositioned not merely as a productive activity but as a strategic lever for ecological stewardship, rural livelihoods, and cultural continuity. The sector's resilience depends on the convergence of political will, research-based innovation, and community-driven action. Reconciling traditional knowledge with modern tools and conservation with competitiveness will be crucial in forging a new paradigm for sustainable and inclusive pastoral development. This work provides a framework for policy orientation and field intervention to revitalize the sector in line with national food sovereignty and agroecological goals.