Huambo — At least six scientists from the Kingdom of Lesotho and five Angolan agricultural researchers took part Wednesday in an exchange of agricultural techniques for cultivating beans, maize, millet and sorghum, in central Huambo Province.
The event is part of the Agricultural Productivity Programme for Southern Africa (APPSA), whose aim is to exchange experiences to improve cultivation practices, with a view to raising production levels of these grains in the two countries.
In addition to the specialists, 35 technicians were trained during the event on maize improvement practices.
The head of the Lesotho Agronomic Research Department, Bataung Kuenene, pointed out that amongst the various Angolan experiences, soil correction techniques is the one that most raised the interest of the group of specialists from Lesotho.
He added that Lesotho was struggling with food security issues, hence the reason for the scientists to come to Angola to interact with their agricultural researchers, to learn more, mainly about the correction of acidic soils, which have caused many constraints in agricultural production.
He added that the visit also aimed to acquire some varieties of maize, millet and sorghum, developed in Angola to be tested on Lesotho soil.
Dibanzilua Nginamau, coordinator of the maize improvement sub-project at the Chianga Experimental Station operating under the APPSA, highlighted the advantages of the exchange of experience between the two countries, as it will allow the improvement of development practices of various agricultural crops in Angola, as part of the government's challenges to increase production and combat hunger and poverty.
"We consider it to be a good initiative in that, with the knowledge acquired, it will be possible to respond to the problem of soil acidity for production, particularly of maize, which requires research in accordance with climate changes in each region," Nginamau.
Financed by the World Bank, APPSA aims, among other things, to strengthen agronomic research in Southern African countries, make innovative technologies available, improve administration of agricultural systems and obtain response capacity in emergency and contingency situations.
