Sumbe — Minister of State and Head of the Civil Affairs Office of the President of the Republic Dionísio Manuel da Fonseca on Thursday highlighted the economic potential of Cuanza-Sul Province for diversifying the economy and strengthening the country's food security.
Speaking at the central ceremony marking National Heroes' Day, observed today, he pointed to fertile land, water resources, its strategic location, coastline and the entrepreneurial capacity of the population as some of the province's main assets.
The Government official, who represented President João Lourenço, said the Executive has been strengthening these assets through the implementation of major projects in different sectors.
The infrastructure mentioned included the Sumbe wastewater treatment system and integrated infrastructure, the rehabilitation of bridges over the Wake, Keve, Quicombo, Salinas, Quiteta, Longa and Duí rivers, rural electrification in Quibala and the construction of the Quibala Centrality.
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He also mentioned the Cuanza-Sul General Hospital Raul Díaz Arguelles, the Sumbe ring road, social housing in the Sabendo Andar neighbourhood, the rehabilitation of National Road 240 on the Sumbe-Gabela section and grid-extension electrification projects in several municipalities.
The Government official highlighted the rehabilitation of the Cawá Irrigated Perimeter under the Commercial Agriculture Development Programme (PDAC), covering 1,457 hectares and benefiting 1,500 producers, as well as the rehabilitation and construction of the fishing port and fish market in Porto-Amboim.
Education and training
He described the inauguration of the Cuanza-Sul Polytechnic Higher Institute as an important milestone in the province's development.
He stressed the need to invest in the training of skilled personnel and knowledge production.
He said the institution should contribute to the modernisation of agriculture, industrialisation, technological innovation and improving the population's living conditions.
He stated that sustainable development depends on the quality of human resources and stronger links between higher education institutions, scientific research and the productive sector.
He linked the focus on education to the legacy of António Agostinho Neto, noting that the training of qualified personnel is one of the foundations for consolidating independence and national development.
Agriculture as a priority
Under the motto "Let us return to our fields to increase agricultural production", National Heroes' Day celebrations place agriculture at the centre of the economic diversification agenda.
The Minister of State said the agricultural sector is one of Angola's main economic vocations and that family farmers are responsible for more than 80% of agricultural products.
He noted that between 2022 and 2025, the agricultural sector recorded average growth of 4.08%, while its contribution to gross domestic product (GDP) rose from 17.28% in 2022 to 23.06% in 2025.
In Cuanza-Sul, he added, the Kwenda Programme has registered 203,656 citizens, of whom 185,393 have already received cash transfers, with some beneficiaries investing part of these resources in agricultural activities.
Province seeks to increase production
For his part, Cuanza-Sul Governor Eugénio César Laborinho said the province has more than 462,000 hectares of arable land available and under preparation.
He said more than three million tonnes of various agricultural products were produced during the 2023/2024 agricultural campaign, while production fell to more than one million tonnes in the 2024/2025 campaign due to the drought that affected the province.
In view of this situation, he stressed the need to reduce agriculture's dependence on rainfall through the construction of irrigation canals and better use of water resources.
The governor cited the Cawá irrigation canal project in Boa Entrada Municipality as one of the initiatives aimed at increasing production capacity.
"We now need to produce more, preserve better, process and market," he said.
Fisheries and aquaculture
Eugénio Laborinho highlighted the potential of the fisheries and aquaculture sector, saying that Cuanza-Sul currently leads the country in controlled aquaculture production, with more than three million kilogrammes per month.
According to the governor, investment in the sector should translate into more employment, income and investment, while also contributing to national food security.
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In the energy sector, he said the Alto Chingo substation has been completed and constitutes an important electricity distribution point for the region.
From that infrastructure, he explained, connections were established to the Ganja and Ebo substations, benefiting the municipalities of Conda, Seles, Ebo and Condé. He added that the province's electrification rate currently stands at around 50%.
Road infrastructure
The provincial governor thanked the central Government for investments made in road infrastructure, highlighting the Sumbe ring road, the rehabilitation of EN240 on the Sumbe-Gabela section and maintenance and conservation works on several sections of EN100.
He said the Sumbe ring road would improve urban mobility, prepare the city for future growth and divert heavy traffic away from the provincial capital's centre.
The central ceremony marking National Heroes' Day took place in the city of Sumbe and included tributes to António Agostinho Neto, National Hero and Founder of the Nation. FF/ALH/DOJ
