Despite the efforts made by the H.C.D.S. through its various regeneration and improvement programs, the steppe remains subject to degradation affecting biodiversity, the fragile balances of the ecosystem, as well as human development. This situation is mainly due to:

1. Successive droughts over the past decades;
2. Overexploitation of pastoral resources;
3. Often inappropriate agricultural practices that promote soil degradation, erosion, and the disappearance of vegetation cover essential for pastoral activities.

Figure 03: Effect of overgrazing combined with drought in the steppe environment (Boussaâda Region).

Figure 04: Effect of overgrazing combined with drought in the steppe environment (Tiaret Region).

This degradation process will be further exacerbated by the implementation of the High Plateaus option in the SNAT 2025, which plans poorly or inadequately planned redeployments of populations from the coastal fringe to the high plateaus and pre-Saharan regions.

To support the development of this region, research must prioritize the establishment of a multifunctional observation network (observatories) to:

• Identify and characterize the structure and functioning of steppe areas through fauna, flora, soil, etc.;
• Diagnose the practices used in pastoral activities;
• Study the social dynamics related to various socio-economic changes;
• Establish experimental pilot projects aimed at achieving proper management of steppe areas.