Chinese-run farms showcase modern agriculture in Angola

Two farms run by China's Citic company are serving as a showcase of modern agriculture in Angola, said Liu Guigen, general manager of the farming development program of Citic Africa.

Black Rock in Angola's central Malanje province is one of the two 10,000-hectare farms Citic is developing in Angola, with currently 3,000 hectares of corn and 1,000 hectares of beans planted.

To the delight of the Angolan agriculture ministry, Black Rock yielded over 20,000 tons of corns and beans in the last two harvest seasons, the highest unit production in Angola's farming history.

Liu told Xinhua that Citic's agricultural cooperation with Angola was still at a preliminary stage and two farms served as a showcase of modern agriculture in the African country.

The Angolan government hoped Citic might establish modern farms in other provinces, he said.

The other 10,000-hectare farm was in the northern Uige province, and was devoted to rice planting and animal husbandry, said Liu.

It is estimated that Angola needed some 4 million tons of grains a year to meet the need of its 23 million population. Only 1.5 million tons are locally produced each year. Modern farming seems indispensable for the country to achieve self-sufficiency in grain production.

Norbberto dos Santos, governor of Malanje, said his province hoped to cooperate with Chinese companies in the farming sector, in particular in irrigation, processing of agriculture produces, household farming and the training of local farmers to provide more jobs and improve the living standards of the local population.

Cui Aimin, Chinese Ambassador to Luanda, said food security was a key part of national security, and the development of agriculture was a key part of national development.

The ambassador expressed the Chinese government's support to the cooperation between Chinese companies and their Angolan counterparts in the field of agriculture. Endit