
Conducting research in priority areas
Food security, health security, energy security
Research and innovation are a powerful engine in the process of creating high value-added activities, in the diversification of the economy and in the competitiveness of businesses. The Algerian economy, which is largely dependent on the export of natural resources and fossil fuels, is still facing many challenges in the creation of innovative companies, the employability of graduates and the promotion of research results. The shift towards an economy more focused on technological innovation requires the deployment of talents, researchers, innovators and entrepreneurs, as well as the emergence of an adequate ecosystem for the promotion of R&D in the productive sectors. It is expected that the heavy investments made by Algeria in strengthening training, research and development capacities, in infrastructure and huge scientific equipment can guarantee citizens a standard of living comparable to that of advanced countries. The Algerian research system is one of the most recent in Africa. The CNRST priority is to revitalize R&D in key sectors, such as agriculture and food security, energy and energy efficiency, health, the environment and adaptation to climate change. (advance of the desert, sand encroachment, water stress), industry and the deployment of digital, will certainly provide a qualitative leap for the benefit of citizens.
Food security: The national territory offers great potential, real and unique opportunities for “inclusive and green growth” in the sectors of agriculture, water, aquaculture and fisheries. Growth in the agricultural sector was 19% in 2017 (against 10.5% in 2011) due to the dynamics of the cereal, milk, meat and potato sectors. However, the latest statistics are far from covering national needs, which remain dependent on imports. The main targeted objectives consist of:
Revitalization of capacity development programs for the production of seeds, medicinal plants, seedlings and progenitors;
- The development of continental aquaculture activities and their integration into agricultural support systems;
- Adaptation of crop and livestock systems to new climatic conditions;
- The protection of water ecosystems through the rehabilitation and extension of sanitation and wastewater treatment systems for their reuse in irrigation and the recovery of residual sludge;
- Protection of the territory against major risks;
The one health: In the field of health, the research effort is focused on prevention and screening, treatment of prevalent diseases, reproductive health, management and evaluation of health systems, health costs, clinical tests, health information, education and communication, applied clinical and therapeutic research, medical engineering and pharmaceuticals.
The current problem lies in understanding the mechanisms that lead to cancer diseases, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, arterial hypertension and therefore the identification of new therapeutic strategies with a view to improving diagnoses and advancing towards a personalized health.
In Algeria, gains in life expectancy at birth increased from 45 years in 1962 to 77 years in 2013. This performance in terms of health will induce an aging population and our country will be confronted with the emergence diseases of "rich countries" and a new epidemiological transition to master.
The Algerian genome project, initiated in 2016, undoubtedly constitutes a scientific feat and a real technological transfer that will have to be relaunched in order to improve the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of diseases resulting, in addition to suffering, high expenditures for the State and the citizens
Energy security: The severe observation is that 98% of the exports of the country come from hydrocarbons alone and that 96% of electricity is produced from natural gas, 3% from diesel (for the isolated regions of the south). The government tends to focus its medium and long-term strategy on an energy mix, at a time when research efforts are focused on the development of photovoltaics and large-scale wind power, on the introduction of biomass (waste recovery), cogeneration and geothermal energy, and also the development of solar thermal (CSP).