Buy or rent? entrepreneurial profile of farmers and land access strategies: the case of potato producers in Algeria

Abstract

This research underscores the critical importance of land accessibility in analyzing entrepreneurial profiles among farmers, particularly in Algeria’s potato sector. Access to land, often obtained informally, poses a substantial challenge.
Our study aimed to explore the evolving profiles of agricultural entrepreneurs and the connections between these profiles and their land access strategies. We conducted surveys and interviews with 60 agricultural entrepreneurs in the potato sector within one of Algeria’s three main potato-producing regions. Our findings reveal that land leasing and informal access arrangements are predominant practices. Several entrepreneurial profiles were identified, each with unique approaches to managing relation
ships with banks, downstream linkage institutions, and rental agreements. Two primary farmer profiles emerge: landowners and tenants, with tenants further categorized into “pure” tenants and tenant-landowners. Despite reforms aimed at providing greater security for farmers in Algeria, land access remains increasingly challenging. Entrepreneurs drawn to these precarious conditions tend to embrace risk, leveraging the flexibility of informal contracts.