Investing in rural people in Angola - International Fund for ...
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©IFAD/G. Pirozzi
Investing in rural
people in Angola
Angola is one of Africa’s most resource-rich countries. It is sub-Saharan
Africa’s second-largest oil producer, after Nigeria, and the world’s
fourth-largest producer (in value) of diamonds. The country also
possesses a wealth of other natural resources, including minerals, water,
agriculture, forestry and fisheries.
Two thirds of the population depend on agriculture for food, income and
employment, with women providing most of the labour force. Agriculture contributes
only 10 per cent of GDP although, according to the 2014 census, 44 per cent of the
employed population works in the sector.
Before independence in 1975, Angola was self-sufficient in key food crops (except
wheat) and was an exporter of cash crops, in particular coffee and sugar. The war for
independence and the lack of investment have severely hindered the agriculture and
fisheries sectors, and the country has been dependent on food imports since 1990.
A mere 10 per cent of the country’s arable land is currently under cultivation, and
per-acre productivity is one of the lowest in sub-Saharan Africa.
The country’s 27-year civil war led to a massive exodus from many rural areas as
people flocked to towns and cities for safety. Around 4 million people (about one
third of the population) were internally displaced at the end of the war in 2002.
Since then much progress has been made. Together with its national and
international partners, the government has developed and implemented programmes
to restore order and security, revitalize the economy, restore basic social services and
rehabilitate infrastructure.
Although the rural economy has all but collapsed, tens of thousands of people are
returning to rural areas now that they are more secure. Despite government demining
efforts, landmines and unexploded bombs are a danger to people and a constraint on
economic and social recovery.
Social and physical infrastructure is badly damaged. In particular, the lack of roads and
Luanda bridges prevents farmers from getting their products to markets, which is impeding
trade. Farmers also lack access to agricultural inputs and other assets needed to begin
producing again. They need seeds, adequate tools to work the land, animals for
traction and fertilizers for areas such as the central highlands, where soil fertility has
been depleted.
Eradicating rural poverty in Angola
The government continues to allocate more than 30 per cent of its budget to improving
social conditions – a figure that is projected to increase over the next five years. The
main goals set out in the country’s poverty reduction strategy (2004) are to halve the
country’s poverty level by 2015, and to consolidate peace and national unity through
the sustained improvement of the living standards of all Angolans.
Within this framework, the revival of the agricultural sector is a priority. Food security
and rural development are included as one of ten specific objectives in the country’s
poverty reduction strategy, to minimize the risk of hunger, meet internal food needs
and revitalize the rural economy. To achieve this goal, the government strategy is
to develop the smallholder sector through community participation and local-level
planning and implementation.
IFAD’s strategy in Angola
In Angola, IFAD loans support efforts to improve food security and rebuild the
livelihoods of poor rural people through rural and agricultural development. In all,
IFAD has implemented seven projects, at a total cost of US$134.65 million. Some
268,600 households have benefited directly.
Activities target the poorest areas of the central highlands. Our projects address
vulnerable groups such as women and households headed by women, as well as
young people, demobilized soldiers and displaced persons.
Key activities include:
• increasing smallholder production of basic food crops and inland fisheries and
aquaculture;
• strengthening rural organizations and representatives of vulnerable groups;
• ensuring access to services and basic rural infrastructure for the most
disadvantaged groups;
• promoting pro-poor policies based on knowledge of the needs of poor rural people
in specific localities.
2
Ongoing operations
Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture Project (2015–2021)
For a total cost of US$12.10 million, the Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture Project’s
goal is to reduce poverty in artisanal inland fishing and small-scale fish-farming
households in target communities. It is expected to improve food security and
nutrition among artisanal inland fishing and fish farming households while
addressing climate change issues that affect the fisheries and aquaculture sectors.
The project is implemented in Bengo, Cuanza Norte, Luanda and Malange provinces
in Angola’s central-north region. The inland artisanal fisheries development covers
communes north of the Cuanza River, between Dondo (Cuanza Norte) and the
mouth of the Cuanza River (Luanda); and communes traversed by the Dande and
Bengo rivers in Bengo and Luanda. Both areas have a large number of lakes, some of
which are seasonally or permanently linked to those rivers. All fishing communities
are located around the lakes and along the rivers. The project targets an estimated
15,000 people, or about 10,000 fishers and 5,000 processors and small traders.
The project is designed to strengthen institutional capacity (national, provincial,
local/extension services), and improve community participation in economic
and wider local development processes. It is also increasing the quantity
and quality of fish produced and sold on a sustainable basis and improving
market-related infrastructure.
Smallholder Agriculture Development and Commercialization
Project in Cuanza Sul and Huila Provinces (2017–2024)
This project will cover a total of 60,000 Angolan rural households in Cuanza Sul
and Huila provinces, representing about 300,000 people. Of these, 50,000 farmers
will benefit through farmer field schools and 10,000 farmers will benefit from
a combination of farmer field schools and investment support (1,000 of these
farmers will also benefit from irrigation development). The project aims to increase
smallholder agriculture productivity, production and marketing for selected crops
and places a special focus on women and young people. The total cost of the project
is US$38.2 million, including a US$28.8 million loan from IFAD. The project is
cofinanced by the Government of Angola (US$8.2 million) and by the beneficiaries
themselves (US$1.1 million).
3With most agriculture in the region dependent on rainfall, the project will also IFAD has invested in rural people
improve access to water and more efficient water use. It will develop small-scale for 40 years, empowering them to
irrigation systems, focusing on the rehabilitation of existing schemes that cover reduce poverty, increase food
about 500 hectares in the project area. security, improve nutrition and
Support will be provided to farmers’ organizations to promote climate-resilient strengthen resilience. Since 1978,
agriculture for key priority food and horticultural crops, while working to we have provided US$19.7 billion
promote investments aimed at reducing post-harvest losses and strengthening in grants and low-interest loans to
market linkages. projects that have reached about
474 million people. IFAD is an
In addition, the project will pilot and promote low-cost technologies for storage
international financial institution
and processing of perishable products. This will help farmers capitalize on the
and a specialized United Nations
market, rather than being subject to opportunistic traders that are well aware of
agency based in Rome – the UN’s
product perishability. The expectation is that the increased demand for goods and
food and agriculture hub.
services in rural areas will spur the creation of non-farm jobs, in particular for the
young people.
Agricultural Recovery Project (2017–2020)
It is estimated that some 8,000 Angolan rural households in Benguela, Cunene
and Huila provinces will benefit from the Agricultural Recovery Project (ARP).
The total cost of the project is US$7.6 million, including a US$5 million loan
and US$1 million grant from IFAD. ARP will be cofinanced by the Government
of Angola (US$0.7 million), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United
Nations (US$0.5 million) and the beneficiaries themselves (US$0.4 million).
It will address the issue of food insecurity aggravated by repeated climate events,
such as El Niño (drought) and La Niña (flood), in the target areas. The project will
also develop water infrastructure by rehabilitating and reconstructing multi-purpose
water sources. In addition, it will help the smallholder farmers build the skills they
need to reduce their vulnerability to climate-related shocks.
ARP will build on the work done by different emergency programmes funded by the
Government of Angola and development partners. It will provide households with
two generalized packages: a crop-based, food security package and livestock-based
packages consisting of poultry, goats, sheep and pigs, which will vary depending
on the household’s asset base. The project will help communities increase on-farm
productivity and improve their food security through livelihood diversification. Contact:
Abla Benhammouche
Country Programme Manager, Angola
IFAD
Via Paolo di Dono, 44
00142 Rome, Italy
Tel: +39 06 54592226
Fax: +39 06 54593226
Email: a.benhammouche@ifad.org
International Fund for Agricultural Development
Via Paolo di Dono, 44 - 00142 Rome, Italy
Tel: +39 06 54591 - Fax: +39 06 5043463
Email: ifad@ifad.org
www.ifad.org
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