The soybeans were produced by Fazenda Lavoura Esperança, according to a statement from the provincial government of Lunda Norte, to which VerAngola had access.
"The Lavoura Esperança Farm, one of the largest agricultural projects in Lunda Norte and the East region, focusing on cereal production and a private initiative, a partnership with Mina Gema, carried out this Thursday the harvest of 60 tons of soybeans in a first phase, in a universe of 40 hectares prepared at this time", says the note.
This first harvest was attended by the governor of Lunda Norte, Filomena Miza, who, on the occasion, said she was "satisfied with the first results".
According to the statement, Filomena Miza also recognized the work carried out by the group, believing that "agriculture is becoming the lungs of the province, aiming to respond to the guidance of the President of the Republic, to attract foreign investment and not only, especially in agricultural sector to diversify the economy and combat hunger and poverty".
In addition, the governor also launched "a challenge to Angolan businesspeople to follow the same path, ensuring that businesspeople who express their interest will have support from the local government in the design of land titles and other mechanisms necessary for the practice of agricultural activity in the province".
Benjamin Herder, coordinator of the farm, which was set up last year, said that the intention is to "continue producing in the region, and hopes that the Angolan government will give greater support to the project, in the design of land titles to expand the production chain of other cereals, such as rice, massambala, wheat and beans, grown in an experimental phase".
According to the statement, the project, which has been running for about a year, has 850 hectares prepared, of which "340 hectares were cultivated with soybeans, 58 hectares with corn and 12 hectares with rice, wheat and beans each, in the experimental phase", estimating that in a second stage more than 200 hectares of soybeans will be harvested.
Already quoted by Angop, Benjamin reported that more than one billion kwanzas were spent to implement the agricultural project, of which 640 million kwanzas were allocated to land cleaning and limestone and 500 million kwanzas were for seeds, agro-inputs and fertilizers.
Luís Quitamba, director of the Integrated Economic Development Office, stated that 500,000 hectares are available in the province in 10 of the 19 municipalities for Planagrão and added that each of the municipalities – Cambulo, Capenda Camulemba, Caungula, Chitato, Cuango, Cuílo, Lubalo, Lucapa, Lóvua and Xá-Muteba – have 50 hectares available.
According to the director, so far, 295 processes from businesspeople interested in investing in Planagrão have been received by the secretariat, and the Lavoura Esperança project is the first initiative carried out in the province.
"We have difficulty in financing potential producers, because our banking system is not yet able to meet demand," he explained, quoted by Angop.
