In the aftermath of independence, the main objectives of agricultural and rural policies were to feed the population, create jobs to absorb surplus labor until industry took over, and improve living in rural areas. Later was added the goal of sustainability of agriculture and rural development. Half a century later, we find that the food of the population has, on average, improved, but at the cost of increased dependence vis-à-vis other countries. The population employed in agriculture increases and contributes to the reduction of unemployment in rural areas. Improving the standard of living of rural is certain. But the sustainable use of natural resources has no progress: Desertification continues at a high level, deforestation continues, irrigation water remains largely wasted. The explanation of the changes observed is modest growth in agricultural production (due to the persistence of low yields, high rates of fallow and low investment), the strong growth in the number of mouths to feed and revenue growth enabled by a relatively large redistribution of oil revenues. It is also found in the failure of global governance of the country and failures of agricultural and rural sector governance.