The Agri-business Sector in Angola

Agriculture provides employment for about half of the Angolan population. Most of Angola’s agricultural sector is subsistence farming that uses rudimentary techniques and little infrastructure or use of inputs such as fertiliser, while farmers have little access to finance. There are few commercial farmers, as over 90% of farm land is cultivated by smallholders. The country is highly dependent on food imports, and imported nearly half of its food in 2018. However, Angola has the natural resources to become one of Africa’s leading agricultural countries, as the diverse and fertile region is suited to a variety of crops. It also has an abundance of fresh water and arable land.

Initiatives

The sector faces a number of challenges, most notably, poor productivity and production and a poorly commercialised agricultural market. In addition, poor infrastructure and a lack of access to finance remain key hurdles. Initiatives are underway to boost local production under the government’s Programme to Support National Production, Export Diversification and Import Replacement. Livestock also holds strong potential in Angola, with a vast natural habitat for grazing and water resources throughout the country. The Angolan government is privatising its agribusiness holdings.

Report Coverage

This report focuses on The Agri-business Sector in Angola and includes country information and information on the state and size of the sector, various sub-sectors including coffee, livestock, maize and dairy, latest available production figures and developments and influencing factors. There are profiles of five companies including Tahal Group, an Israeli civil works company, which has assisted in the development of a number of agricultural projects, Fazenda de Santo Antonio, Angola’s largest irrigated farm, and Group Lider, which has fruit and vegetable farms.