Angola’s economy relies heavily on oil, accounting for 80% of government revenues. The country needs to diversify its economy, and this becomes especially important when global oil prices fall. Angola is a large country with rich soils, and a history of exporting agricultural products. It was the world’s third largest coffee exporter in the 1970’s for example, but the country’s devastating civil war from 1975 to 2002 resulted in a collapse in commercial production.

And the sector has not yet recovered from this blow. Only 7% of Angola’s arable land is under cultivation and average crop yields remain very low compared to other countries in sub-Saharan Africa. There is enormous potential for increasing agricultural production and productivity. One way is to enhance capacity development in agribusiness and extension, and which will strengthen market linkages, improve commercialization and build local agro-business facilities and entrepreneurial talent.