From PhD to practice (my field experience)

By Khaled AMRANI

Agronomist and doctoral student at the UGA, within the laboratory Pacte territoires, gives you his experience feedback...

"I am currently finalizing a thesis on the evaluation of the sustainability of oasis agrosystems in Algeria. This research work began in December 2014. My research field is located in the town-palm grove of Ouargla in the southeastern Algerian Sahara, not far from the Tunisian border. Without going into detail, this research consists of making a systemic diagnosis that crosses the contribution of several scientific disciplines: agronomy, economics and sociology.

The motivations that pushed me to start this long 5-year work are the observations of degradation of the Ouargla palm grove on the environmental level (erosion of phyto-genetic resources, disappearance of know-how, alteration of land fertility, regression of the market value of oasis products and finally, an exodus from the palm grove in favour of concrete).

However, "merit" is also a "catalytic factor". My encounter with Georges TOUTAIN (see Wikipedia page [1], allowed me to finalize this thesis project while I was working at the DRAAF Rhône-Alpes (in Lyon) as a phytosanitary inspector in charge of the bee mission. Of course, it was not easy, I would even say quite difficult because I financed myself, but it was worth it. Firstly because it is a subject that was close to my heart, and secondly because there are not enough people working on these issues in arid regions with a harsh climate (up to 50.3°C in summer!). It is still virgin ground that is little explored (so, notice to those interested!).

Originally from Grenoble (born in La Tronche), I moved to Ouargla in 2015 to be closer to my experimental field. Shortly after, a European cooperation project, the PAP ENPARD, was born and I was hired as an expert to carry out a preliminary national study on the state of Algerian oases which led to the worrying observation: an imminent threat to oasis areas in Algeria. Subsequently, another project carried by the German cooperation (GIZ) called PASA (Programme d'Appui au Secteur de l'Agriculture en Algérie) was launched; a project for which I am currently on mission as technical advisor for the date and pepper sector. It consists in enhancing the value chains of these sectors by providing the support of the GIZ in partnership with INRA Algeria.

In reality, the "success factor" lies, in my opinion, in perseverance and various scientific activities, upstream, which give you a certain visibility and professional recognition. I have given several conferences and published many articles for the general public, which have enabled me to build a fairly rich network of contacts.

The rest was then, almost, done on my own. You just have to try to be in the right place at the right time! Good luck to all of you and don't hesitate if you need any advice... "



[1] Georges TOUTAIN has put in place a concept and an approach that is little talked about but can be very useful. In order to consolidate social links between the various oasis economic actors, he technically recommends creating pilot agricultural plots to federate leading producers who in turn will bring together producers convinced of the merits of the approach. It is a participatory approach around a concrete object that invites collective and concerted interaction.