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 hides 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 points and facilitate donations, with the goal of reducing random disposal of hides and protecting the environment. In recent years, sacrificial animal hides were traditionally used in households as rugs and traditional mats after being tanned and dried. However, this practice gradually disappeared with changing decor trends, leading to the accumulation of unused hides. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, around 4 million sacrificial animals are slaughtered annually, resulting in a significant amount of recoverable hides. The percentage of recovered hides has increased from 2% in 2018 to 29% in 2024, with 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, "Gitex." Field teams have been trained to educate citizens on the optimal method of preparing hides after slaughter, advising against wetting them with water, ensuring proper tanning, and avoiding placing them in black bags. It is recommended to leave the hides in front of the house or in designated areas within the neighborhood for collection within the first or second day of Eid. Two smart applications have been developed to support the campaign: "Merigl Hidura," which directs users to hide collection sites, and "Mastafeed," which allows registering hides and connecting citizens with the collecting entity. This digital link between families and specialists speeds up the collection process and protects the environment from pollution resulting from random hide disposal. The recovered hides 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 after the implementation of market economy. "Gitex," reestablished in 2015, is preparing 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.