ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the structural and institutional characteristics of North African agriculture and related rural development policy issues. It discusses the nature of inter-country variations in agricultural population density on land, and food security problems. The chapter explores some aspects of historical and institutional importance which help to understand the current social organization of agriculture. The post-independence tendency has been an increasing role of the State in the management of the rural economy within a framework of national development planning. While we appreciate the urge for initiating the process of rural development based on the repossession of foreign owned lands and the reform of agrarian institutions inherited from colonial rule, we do not understand the continuing state control of agricultural production, marketing and trade. There is some considerable evidence of a common sexual prejudice against the legitimate rights of rural women in access to land, credit, technical knowledge in farming and agricultural cooperatives' membership.
