Luanda – The Angolan government plans to invest USD 5.7 billion to boost grain production in the country, to reach around 6.1 million tonnes in 2027, said Monday in Luanda the secretary of State for Planning, Milton Reis.
The amount for the investment in the scope of the National Plan for the Promotion of Grain Production (PLANAGRÃO) aims to boost the production of wheat, rice, soy and maize, forecasting production of about 5 million tons of grain (maize, wheat and rice) and 1.1 million tonnes of soy, making a total of 6.1 million tonnes.
Milton Reis, who was speaking at the ceremony that served to present the IMF report on the regional economic outlook for sub-Saharan Africa, stated that the forecast was based on three instruments to be implemented by the government aiming to increase domestic production, with a focus on grain production, boosting cattle breeding, fishing and aquafarming.
The state secretary added that in addition to PLANAGRÃO, the government plans to implement the National Plan for the Promotion and Development of Cattle Breeding (PLANAPECUÁRIA), aiming to increase the production of animal protein and livestock products, fostering meat production.
Milton Reis highlighted the use of USD 300 million dollars to finance the associated producers in cattle breeders' cooperatives and to take advantage of existing infrastructures.
According to the official, with this plan it is foreseen the increase of cattle meat production of about 1,010,000 tonnes, and pork meat to more than 120,000 tonnes, whereby egg production will rise over 3.1 million tonnes and milk production to around 17 million litres in 2027.
Milton Reis highlighted that the instrument to be implemented is the National Plan for the Promotion of Fisheries (PLANAPESCAS), with the objective to enhance the business fishing activity, by increasing the production and transformation of fish and salt, assuring the regular supply of fish to population and ensure food security, with USD 300 million being mobilised to finance, through the African Development Bank (ADB).
He said that with the implementation of this plan, it is foreseen to reach a production of 752,000 tonnes of fish and 473,000 tonnes of salt in 2017.
PDN 2023-2027 and GDP growth
The secretary of State for Planning, Milton Reis, said that the National Development Plan (PDN) 2023-2027 is already being prepared, focusing on three priority areas.
He explained that the PDN is focused on the Development of human capital, (education, health, employment, entrepreneurship and vocational training); expansion and modernisation of infrastructures (mobility, transport and logistics, housing, water and energy) and Diversification of the economy (improvement of the business environment, agriculture, cattle breeding, fisheries, tourism and manufacturing industry).
Milton Reis also said that the government was predicting real average annual growth of gross domestic product (GDP) of 3.6 percent, with the non-oil sector growing an average of 4.6 percent, making it the main engine of economic growth.
The Angolan secretary of State for Planning explained that the performance of the non-oil sector would be ensured by the agriculture, cattle breeding and forestry, fishing, industry, trade, tourism and services sectors that were expected to grow, on average, by over 5% per year.
