Malanje — Angola foresees increasing its productive capacity through the involvement of family business sectors, to meet the citizens' food needs, develop the food industry and expand exports.
The statement was made by the minister of State for Economic Coordination, José de Lima Massango, when he presided over the opening ceremony of the National Agricultural Campaign, held this Saturday, in the municipality of Luquembo, 275 kilometers off Malanje City.
According to the governor, the agricultural sector is the Executive's focus and priority, which is why it has drafted and implemented programmes like Planagrão (grain production), Planapecuária (livestock) and other projects for the production of several crops, with emphasis on rice.
In this sense, he highlighted investments in infrastructure to support agriculture and the mobilization of resources to promote large-scale agriculture, especially grains, cereals and coffee, as well as financing for private livestock farming and the distribution of seeds and agricultural inputs to farmers.
He said it is the government's intention to improve the quality of seeds and put the country's irrigated perimeters into operation, having stressed that the Executive will also continue to invest in the agricultural education of rural work-force, providing them with tools that allow good agricultural practice.
In turn, the minister of Agriculture and Forests, António de Assis, recalled that the Executive outlined public policies aimed at agribusiness, to overcome social needs and lower food prices in the country.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
He stressed that special attention falls on rice production, to reduce the foregein currency that the country spends on importing this product.
To implement this project, he appealed to traditional authorities to mobilize young people and farmers to increase this culture, since Malanje and other provinces have water potential and fertile land for this purpose.
He also defended the need to overcome the figure of 15 thousand tons of rice currently produced, which is why the private sector must focus on this task, producing more and more.
The minister revealed that the Executive made 153 billion kwanzas (US$18.1 milllion) available for the agricultural campaign now open, to finance agricultural projects.
On the occasion, the acting governor of the province of Malanje, Angelino Quissonde, stated that Malanje has the conditions to reach top positions in terms of agricultural production, which is why the Executive has been supporting this cause through the distribution of agricultural instruments and seeds.
He said that 60% of the amount allocated to the anti-poverty program has been applied to support agriculture, benefiting peasant families and former military personnel engaged in rural activities.
The opening of the agricultural year culminated with the inauguration by the minister of State of an agrarian development station (EDA), distributing agricultural inputs to agricultural cooperatives, the opening of an agricultural fair and the launch of sowing for the period 2023/2024.
NC/PBC/CF/jmc
