Angola: Agriculture can create new career opportunities for young people, José Massano says

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LAGOS — Angola’s Minister of State for Economic Coordination, José de Lima Massano, has urged young Angolans to consider agriculture and livestock farming as fields for training, employment and entrepreneurship. He said the sector needs skilled professionals who can innovate and adopt new technologies.

“Agriculture and livestock farming are noble and vital professions, they need committed professionals, managers, leaders and entrepreneurs who understand rural life and are ready to innovate and embrace new technologies and modern working methods. May more young people see agriculture and livestock farming as fields of opportunity for building a promising future,” he said.

Massano made the appeal in the commune of Mongua, Cuanhama Municipality, Cunene Province, during the official opening of the 2026/2027 Agricultural Year.

The ceremony included the handover of land concession titles to young people who have chosen agriculture as a career, on 150 hectares divided into plots.

The initiative seeks to link access to land with generational renewal in the sector.

Massano’s message, however, points to a transformation that goes beyond production: agriculture also needs management, leadership, technical knowledge and the ability to adopt modern methods. For young people, this means opportunities can extend across the entire value chain, from production to marketing and entrepreneurship.

Production grows, but challenges remain

Massano highlighted the results of the 2025/2026 agricultural season, which recorded overall growth of 7.1%, with production reaching around 33 million tonnes, the best result so far, according to the figures presented.

Production of roots and tubers grew by 9.1% to 17.6 million tonnes, of which around 14.5 million tonnes were cassava. Fruit production rose by 7.7% to 7.8 million tonnes, driven mainly by bananas, mangoes and pineapples.

The minister also said food imports fell by 31.1% between 2017 and 2025, which he attributed to increased domestic supply and the wider presence of Angolan products in the markets. Despite this progress, he said further efforts are needed to ensure regular and sufficient production to meet the population’s food needs.

The figures point to expanding output, but the challenge is also to make production consistent and ensure it reaches consumers. Creating sustainable opportunities for young people will depend on turning access to land, technical assistance and financing into productive activity and income.

Support for producers

For the new agricultural season, the government plans to continue support measures for farming families, cooperatives and commercial producers. During the previous season, around 1.246 million families received assistance through rural extension and development programmes.

For the new cycle, the country has approximately 173,000 tonnes of fertiliser available. All provinces received larger quantities than in previous years, according to Massano.

Access to credit will continue to be supported by the Agricultural Development Support Fund (FADA), the Development Bank of Angola (BDA) and the public guarantee mechanism through the Credit Guarantee Fund (FGC).

The handover of land to young people in Mongua gives practical expression to the minister’s appeal. Its impact, however, will depend on whether new farmers can access the resources, knowledge and markets needed to develop their projects.

It is along this path, from land allocation to the consolidation of agricultural businesses, that the promise of career opportunities can take hold.