Place of sheep and camel meat in Algerian consumption

The meat most consumed by the population of the Algerian steppe and Saharan regions is mutton and camel, although it is increasingly challenged by poultry and beef. The Steppic and Saharan regions are also called respectively "the land of the sheep and the dromedary" by the populations of these regions. This expression speaks for itself and tells us that it is a space that has traditionally housed sheep and camel farming practices.
Camelina meat remains negligible at the national level, while its consumption in the Saharan regions is significant. The dromedary, especially when it is young, provides a meat appreciated by consumers, in particular for its low cholesterol content, which also makes it a commercial argument. In addition, the price of camelina meat is often lower than that of cattle and sheep. This work aims to show the place of sheep and camel meat in Algerian human consumption.
Sheep meat is festive in the sense that it is a dish that North Africans tend to consume collectively on a specific occasion, family or religious. This is the case for Eid El-Kebir (religious holiday), which represents half of the annual slaughter of sheep, but also during Ramadan, for weddings, festivals, births, etc. In these contexts, the barbecue (roast mutton) is almost compulsory in the Maghreb countries. Thus, the consumption of camelina meat is highly concentrated in regions of Bedouin or nomadic tradition, but is mainly due to urban populations. As a result, the use of camel meat is limited to festive events with a large number of participants.
The sheep and the camel carry cultural values, because they are animals which have a particular symbolism in religious texts. Raising sheep and camels not only has a festive dimension, but also constitutes a real cultural identity for the Algerian population.

Author(s): Mohamed Sadoud

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