Community Awareness of Agricultural Heritage Systems (GHIAS) Sites: The Case of the Ghout System in the Souf Oasis

The Ghout is a traditional agricultural system located principally in the Souf Oasis (Algerian Sahara); it has been classified by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) as a globally important agricultural heritage system (GIAHS) since 2005. The main objective of this investigation study is to check whether the community of local farmers is aware that their date palm groves (called "Ghouts") have become part of the GIAHS. A questionnaire was designed, and a survey was carried out between 2018 and 2020 for the local farmers who own the Ghout system. The results show that out of 397 participants, only 49 (12.3%) of local farmers know that their Ghout system has become a part of GIAHS. The high educational level and low age have positively impacted acquiring this information. Furthermore, 65.3% of local farmers gained information about GIAHS classification mainly through social media and 18.4% by radio and television media. The local farmer community is the significant basis for the conservation and development of the GIAHS, so no conservation process can succeed without them. However, the first step of the conservation policy is for local farmers to know that their Ghouts have become a part of GIAHS. This responsibility lies with the local authorities.