The Paradoxes of the ‘Bean Plate’ in Algeria: From Food Insecurity to Political Pretext

The ‘Lentils and Beans’ Crisis: When Empty Stomachs Become a Security Obsession

In a landscape reflecting the depth of the social crises in Algeria, pulses—lentils and beans—have transformed from simple consumer goods into major headlines in the official political discourse. While the regime insists on blaming its failure to secure basic goods on “foreign plots,” media outlets close to the authorities present surreal scenes attempting to turn this deficit into folklore.

Tebboune and the ‘Conspiracy’ Term: Do Pulses Threaten State Stability?

In his recent media outings, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune did not hesitate to link the scarcity of food and rising prices to “plots” being hatched against the country. This connection, which observers see as an attempt to cover up economic mismanagement, has turned a bag of lentils or beans into a national security issue.

Hafid Derradji: The ‘Bean Plate’ as a Propaganda Tool

In contrast, sports commentator Hafid Derradji appeared in a video eating a plate of beans in scorching heat, attempting to link this simple dish to the country’s identity and history. This ironic contrast, practiced by Derradji while citizens suffer in the markets, reveals the wide gap between justificatory rhetoric and the bitter reality.

The Core Problem: Why Can’t Algeria Provide Grain and Pulses?

The real dilemma lies in the state’s total reliance on oil revenue to import food, in the absence of a sustainable agricultural strategy. Framing the pulse crisis as a “conspiracy” is merely a way to escape accountability. The Algerian citizen today does not need speeches about the historical heritage of lentils, but rather real economic policies that lift them out of the lines of humiliation that have become a daily feature of society.

In conclusion: A state that makes the “bean plate” a pillar of its security discourse while ignoring the basic needs of its people confirms day after day that its crisis is not in the lack of grain, but in the lack of vision and the will for real reform.