Ndalatando — The director of the Development Institute (IDA), Felismino da Costa, has urged in Cuanza Norte Province farmers who are part of the Agricultural Field Schools (ECA) to commit themselves to applying new cultivation techniques, so that these structures can evolve into agricultural cooperatives.
He said that cooperatives are more solid, well-structured and consolidated infrastructures with various business opportunities through obtaining micro-credits.
Felismino da Costa, who was recently speaking to the press, said that in the provinces of Malanje, Bié and Huambo some ECAs have already evolved into cooperatives.
He said that the Agrarian Development Support Fund (FADA), a partner of the IDA, is funding the ECAs that have already evolved into cooperatives to the tune of 25 million kwanzas each.
He revealed that in addition to adding value to production levels, this action is also helping to improve the income and living conditions of families in the communities.
Felismino da Costa said that the ECAs, before evolving into cooperatives, professionals are trained in modern production and business management methodologies, and each school will receive financial support totalling 417,000 kwanzas with the aim of strengthening production and receiving technical support from IDA specialists.
In the first phase, the Field School Strengthening Fund has a portfolio of over 274 million kwanzas to support 584 field schools in the provinces of Cuanza Norte, Bengo, Uíge, Zaire, Benguela, Cunene and Namibe.
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The funds are being allocated on the basis of a work plan drawn up by the field schools themselves, following training and instruction in fund management.
Mr Costa informed that by the end of the Strengthening the Resilience of Family Farmers Project, which is scheduled for 2026, the Fund for Strengthening Field Schools plans to allocate a total of two million dollars to around five thousand field schools.
Field schools are spaces for training small farmers in improved cultivation practices, modern agricultural technology, improving soil fertility and integrated nutrient management, business, among other factors.
The country already has more than 200,000 ECAs, which is a methodology that has been implemented for around ten years in the provinces of Malanje, Huambo and Bié.
These infrastructures are gradually being reproduced across the country, with the support of the Strengthening the Resilience of Family Farmers Project, in the provinces of Cuanza Norte, Bengo, Huíla, Cuanza Sul and Uíge.
The province of Cuanza Norte already has 111 farmer field schools that have benefited from the Reinforcement Fund in the framework of the Strengthening the Resilience of Family Farmers Project.
In Cuanza Norte, the ECAs are supporting 4,384 families, of which 2,651 are women.
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