Nairobi — Angola's Vice-President, Esperança da Costa, on Wednesday, said it is currently underway in the country the National Plan to Promote Grain Production (Planagrão) will involve more women and young people as part of the food security strategy.
Esperança da Costa made the statement while addressing the panel "Investing in the Transformation of Food Systems in Africa", held on the sidelines of the African Climate Summit.
The Vice-President said the Angolan government continues to work towards diversifying its economy by intensifying the country's openness to private investment.
The strategy is also aimed at dealing with the shortage of cereals, which has been exacerbated by the war in Ukraine, one of the leading producers of this product, having emphasized that at this stage investments are being made in various segments of the country's agricultural sector, with the adoption of sustainable practices.
Farmers benefit from improved seeds, credit, and technical training as part of this investment.
"We still haven't achieved what is desirable, which is active participation in agribusiness and the development of the agricultural value chain," admitted Esperança da Costa, who recognized the role of women in family farming, which accounts for around 70 percent of national production.
Planagrão
Planagrão plans to secure access to energy and water in areas where the project will be implemented, and restore silos, warehouses, and railway lines, in accordance with the priorities to be defined by the Ministry of Agriculture.
Budgeted at 2.8 billion kwanzas, Panagrão is being developed in the eastern provinces of Mexico, Lunda Sul, Lunda Norte, and Cuando Cubango, and other regions of the country with climatic conditions for the production of maize, soya, wheat, and rice.
Data from the plan indicates that out of the 2.8 trillion kwanzas, 1.6 trillion (kwanzas) will be used to finance the private sector, as part of the strategy of the Development Bank of Angola (BDA).