Luanda - This year the Carrinho Group has invested around USD 60 million in seeds, agricultural mechanisation tools and other inputs, with the aim of stimulating national production and reducing imports, said Wednesday in Luanda Province, the company's executive director, David Maciel.
According to the source, with this investment the country will stop importing 12 ships of various products, such as maize, rice, wheat and beans.
The official, who was speaking to the press on the sidelines of the first conference on 'Agriculture 3.0', stressed that a harvest of 360,000 tonnes of grain are expected this year.
At the time, the Secretary of State for Agriculture and Farming, João Cunha, reiterated that this sector remains committed to providing solutions based on science, technology and the reform of its scientific research institutions, in order to increase adoptive research and productivity.
According to the leader, the government is making progress towards the development and modernisation of Angolan agriculture, but it must be borne in mind that every technological innovation needs to comply with all the recommended stages.
In terms of the corporate agriculture sector, João da Cunha said that the intention is to continue to encourage investment in projects that aim to help increase the production of cereals, oilseeds, pulses, fruit and tubers.
He also pointed to animal production as a crucial factor in reducing the import of meat that can easily be produced in the country.
In turn, agricultural entrepreneur Paula Bartolomeu defended the need to think about building roads to transport products, while looking at what will be produced.
The farmer also advocated the massification, publicising and protection of national products, in order to promote exports with their own reference.
As a example, the sweet potato from Cacuso municipality of Malanje province and the cassava of Zambia which are produced in the municipalities of Sumbe and Gabela of the Cuanza Sul province are products that should be protected and publicised through digital platforms with the aim to preserve Angolan brand and to encourage import.
The event Agriculture 3.0 or Intelligent Agriculture is a new concept in agricultural management that uses digital techniques to monitor and use agricultural production processes.
The first conference on Agriculture 3.0 was held on the motto “The seed for sustainable and inclusive companies”, bringing together several business people, academics and professionals from other fields.
Other topics covered at the event included 'Connectivity and digital transformation in agri-business management, Agricultural potential in the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP) and Social inclusion and development.
CPM/QCB/MRA/jmc
