The secretary of State for Forestry Resources, André Moda, reaffirmed in the municipality of Cahama, southern Cunene Province, the government´s bet on the growth of national production to strengthen food security in the country.
Speaking at the main ceremony of the World Food Day, market on 16 October, André Moda said that the government is implementing programmes to promote economic growth aiming to make Angola more sustainable in food.
He pointed out that climate change in the last years implies a redoubling of governmental efforts, specifically in the southern region in which the drought situation has been putting thousands of families in food insecurity line.
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“The government is working in partnership with FAO and other United Nations Agencies in the strengthening of the community capacities through techniques of agricultural production in the Field Schools with the aim to fight hunger and poverty”, stated the official.
André Moda recalled that the projects to fight drought effects as the Cafu Canal emerges to make the rural communities of these vulnerable regions more resilient and with management capacity on food and nutritional security standards.
The official stressed that the Cafu Canal awakens people for a change of attitude in the production practices, seeking to work in agriculture and cattle breeding to ensure food security, taking advantage of available drinking water.
André Moda highlighted as well the Grain Programme to promote production of corn, rice, wheat and soya, as well as the traditional cultures such as massambala, massango grains, to ensure food insecurity issues in populations.
FAO representative in Angola
According to the FAO representative, Ms Gherda Barreto, the organization will continue to work with the Angolan government, supporting programmes to fight hunger and poverty in the most affected regions.
She said that FAO has provided USD 40 million for the food and nutritional security, agribusiness, resilience and agricultural practices programmes.
The official said that they are controlling 5,125 field schools, with 153,000 producers, in partnership and technical assistance from the Agrarian Development Institute (IDA), in Huambo, Bié, Malanje, Cunene, Huila, Benguela and Namibe provinces.
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Gherda Barreto noted that in Cunene 75 field schools were controlled, with 2,100 producers, with the aim of boosting food production, four cycles per year, along the Cafu Canal.
The secretary of State for Forestry Resources, lined up by the deputy governor for Political, Social and Economic sector of Cunene, Apolo Ndinoulenga, visited the Cahama field school, which has 65 members and produces onion, tomato, cabbage, aubergine, beans and maize.
According to the report released by the international organization for immigration, it indicates that by 2021 at least 193 million people in the world will face acute food insecurity, requiring humanitarian assistance for their survival.
World Food Day is celebrated every 16 October and began in 1981. It is currently celebrated in more than 150 countries as an important date to raise awareness on nutrition and food issues.
