Benguela — The general director of Rainbow Agro in Angola, Klaus Gunther Urban, defended this Saturday the need to facilitate access to financing and strengthen technical assistance to producers, in order to unlock the great growth potential of Angolan agriculture.
Speaking to journalists during the second edition of the Field Day promoted by the Nelson Rodrigues Agricultural Farm, in Dombe Grande, Benguela Province, the official also advocated investments in the training of specialized personnel to accelerate the growth of the agricultural sector.
Klaus Gunther Urban, also a Brazilian agronomist, encourages an increasing focus on higher technical training in agronomy, considering that the sustainable growth of agriculture will also depend on the qualification of human resources.
Suggesting the strengthening of international cooperation between universities, the expert says that the exchange of professors, researchers and students with other countries will accelerate the transfer of scientific and technological knowledge to the Angolan agricultural sector. "Angola has a very promising agriculture sector, still small, but which tends to grow a lot because the potential is great," he stated, predicting a more modern, productive, and competitive agriculture in Angola.
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According to Klaus Gunther Urban, Rainbow Agro, a Chinese multinational present in about 120 countries, intends to contribute to this growth by providing new technologies and phytosanitary solutions adapted to the needs of Angolan farmers.
The engineer argued, however, that public policies for the sector must address the specificities of the different producer profiles existing in the country. In his understanding, family farmers primarily need conditions that allow them to guarantee sufficient income to support their families and remain in the countryside, avoiding migration to urban centers.
Commercial producers, he explained, face different challenges, mainly related to access to credit, technology, qualified technical assistance, and markets. "These farmers need sources of financing with affordable interest rates, better conditions for getting their produce to market, access to agricultural inputs, and skilled labor to increase productivity," he argued.
Credit remains the main obstacle When questioned about public policies to boost agriculture, Klaus Gunther Urban acknowledged the efforts made by the Angolan government, but considered that difficulties in accessing agricultural financing persist.
In his view, although credit lines are available, many producers continue to encounter obstacles in accessing financing from banking institutions. "A farmer without money cannot make the investment. Often there is financing, but the demands of the banks make it difficult to access the resources," he observed.
The official also highlighted the role of the Institute for Agricultural Development (IDA) in rural extension, advocating for the strengthening of technical assistance actions for small farmers. "The greater the IDA's activity in transferring knowledge to the field, the greater the benefits for the small producer," he stated.
Regarding policies to protect national production, Klaus Gunther Urban considered that the Government faces a delicate balance between encouraging local farmers and guaranteeing the food supply for the population. "The Government's role is to guarantee food security for the population and, at the same time, protect the farmer.
It is a complex management, because an excessive market reserve can raise prices for the consumer," he said. Soil Analysis On the other hand, the Brazilian engineer also advocated for a greater focus on the analysis of agricultural soils before defining fertilization plans.
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According to the academic, the different types of soil existing in Angola require specific technical approaches, making it essential to use specialized laboratories to determine the nutritional needs of each cultivation area.
Comparing the process to medical examinations, he stated that the farmer must first know the characteristics of the soil before deciding which fertilizers or amendments to use. "It is not yet a very common practice in Angola, but it should be the first step to optimize productivity and reduce costs," he concluded.
The second edition of the Field Day served to present the new pesticide Upaxial + Colam, developed for the control of whitefly and other agricultural pests, which will begin to be distributed to farmers next Monday. JH/CRB/TED/jmc
