Africa-Press – Angola. The Republics of Angola and Côte d’Ivoire aim to boost, in the short term, bilateral relations in the agricultural field, with emphasis on the value chains of cocoa and coffee production, cultivated here in the country, essentially in the provinces From north.
To this end, a delegation from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, led by the Secretary of State for Agriculture and Fisheries, João Manuel Bartolomeu da Cunha, was on duty in the city of Abidjan, from the 13th to the 17th of this month.
In Cotê d’Ivoire, the Angolan ruler held meetings with the Ambassador of Angola to that territory in central Africa, Domingos Feliciano Pacheco, and with the Minister of State and Agriculture and Rural Development, Adjoumani Kouassi Kobenan.
Next, the technical teams from both countries outlined the sectors of mutual interest, susceptible to inclusion in the documentary project for the subsequent signing of cooperation agreements in the referenced areas.
The Angolan technicians visited the Agricultural Research Center at length, specialized in the cultivation and multiplication of coffee, palm and cocoa seedlings, agricultural and industrial sectors linked to the planting, production, industrialization and marketing of these products.
Under the terms of the agreements, public interaction is expected linked to the dissemination and technical assistance to coffee, palm and cocoa producers, as well as a visit to a processing plant for these crops, indicates a note from the Angolan Embassy in Côte d’Ivoire.
According to the note that press had access, the Angolan delegation also interacted with the director general of the National Center for Agricultural Research (CNRA), a public institution in charge of financing the production chain of the aforementioned crops.
The document from the Angolan Embassy highlights that, following the five-day visit, the Secretary of State and Ambassador Domingos Pacheco exchanged views on the importance and urgency of creating, soon, the Bilateral Mixed Commission between Angola and Côte d’Ivoire.
The note highlights that this will be a decisive milestone for the signing of legal instruments to shape and revitalize mutually advantageous bilateral cooperation.
The Secretary of State for Agriculture and Fisheries, João Manuel Bartolomeu da Cunha, took the opportunity to thank the hospitality and cordial way in which the delegation of Angolan experts was welcomed, showing himself convinced and hopeful that “relations between countries will undoubtedly be on the right path.”
It is worth remembering that Côte d’Ivoire’s economy continues to be based on agriculture, with 40% of cocoa production being the world’s leading producer, ahead of Ghana, with national production of around 1.335 million tons. It is also the largest producer of coffee, cashew, cotton, among other crops.
In Angola, the promotion of cocoa production extended to other provinces, outside the traditional region of Cabinda.
Approximately two years ago, 40,000 (forty thousand) cocoa seedlings were produced and distributed, an action that led to the emergence of new areas for promoting this culture, in the Provinces of Zaire, Bengo, Uíge, Cuanza Norte and Cuanza Sul, auguring the increase in cocoa production over the next three years.
In the field of coffee, production was 6,229 tons (six thousand, two hundred and twenty-nine tons), a variation of 19.7% compared to last year, of which 656 tons (six hundred and fifty-six tons) come from contribution from the business sector.
Among other officials, the delegation included the general director of the Institute of the National Coffee Council (INCA), the President of the Board of Directors of the Angolan Coffee Development Fund, the National Director of Agriculture and Livestock and the director of the Office of the Secretary of State for Agriculture and Livestock.
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