Algeria launches a smart campaign to collect sacrificial animal hides and turn them into an industrial wealth.

Algerian authorities, in collaboration with activists and industrial institutions, have launched a national initiative to collect sacrificial animal skins during Eid al-Adha, aiming to economically benefit from them by transforming them into raw materials used in textile, leather, and organic fertilizer industries. The initiative relies on field awareness and the use of smart digital applications to identify collection sites and facilitate donations, with the goal of reducing random disposal of skins and protecting the environment. In recent years, sacrificial animal skins were traditionally used in households as rugs and traditional mats after being tanned and dried, but this practice gradually disappeared with changing decor trends, leading to an accumulation of unused skins. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, around 4 million sacrificial animals are slaughtered annually, resulting in a significant amount of recoverable skins. The percentage of recovered skins has increased from 2% in 2018 to 29% in 2024, with Algerian authorities aiming to reach 40% this year. The Ministry of Industry, in coordination with the Ministries of Agriculture, Environment, Religious Affairs, Trade, and Interior, oversees the campaign in collaboration with the holding company for textile and leather industry "Jitex." Field teams have been trained to educate citizens on the proper way to prepare the skin post-slaughter, including avoiding wetting it with water, thorough tanning, and refraining from placing it in black bags. It is advised to leave the skin in front of the house or designated areas within the neighborhood for collection by teams during the first or second day of Eid. Two smart applications have been developed to support the campaign: "Mariguel Hidoura," which guides users to skin collection points, and "Moustafid," which allows citizens to register the skin and connect with the collecting entity. This digital link between families and experts speeds up the collection process and protects the environment from pollution caused by random disposal of skins. The recovered skins are currently used in clothing and carpet manufacturing, with preparations underway to open an organic fertilizer factory in collaboration with an Italian partner this year, as part of a comprehensive plan to revive national industries that suffered setbacks due to market economy implementation. "Jitex," reestablished in 2015, is gearing up to open 5 new factories by the end of the year and 10 more in the following year, aiming to revive the national textile sector and enhance the circular economy in the country.