Angola likely to achieve food self-sufficiency in next 5 years: Minister

Angola could be a food self-sufficient country in almost all agricultural products within five years, as a result of ongoing programs to support family farming, increase cultivation areas and subsidize the price of fuel, according to Agriculture and Forestry Minister, Marcos Nhunga.

According to Marthe Angolan Minister, in order to reach this goal, the sector will bet heavily on increasing the distribution of seeds, fertilizers and animal-drawn ploughs.

Speaking on Wednesday, on sideline of the debate on Agriculture in Angola "Past, Challenges and Future," the minister stressed that family agriculture is the Government's priority to produce more than 85 percent of what is consumed in the country.

He said that the Government of Angola is working on mobilizing a credit line, both for family farming, and both for business agriculture. He recalled that the US $ 434 million was available, to be financed by nine commercial banks under the Credit Support Program (PAC) to support national entrepreneurs.

This program will facilitate access to credit for producers who want to bet on the production of 54 products, especially those in the basic basket and others considered essential, under the National Production, Export Diversification and Export Substitution Program (PRODESI).

The Government is preparing a set of instruments, with the purpose of changing the economic activity in Angola.

With inputs from agencies.

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