Angola receives IFAD financing to strengthen artisanal fisheries and aquaculture

LUANDA, Angola, Capital Markets in Africa – Republic of Angola and the United Nations International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) signed an agreement to finance the Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture Project (AFAP)  in Bengo, Cuanza Norte, Luanda and Malange provinces in the central-north region of Angola.

The US$11.1 million IFAD loan and US$1.0 million contribution from the government of Angola will help reduce poverty in artisanal inland fishing and small-scale fish-farming households. AFAP will help to improve food security and nutrition, promote inclusive and sustainable development, and support management of both inland fisheries and small-scale aquaculture. It will also increase the quantity and quality of fish produced and sold on a sustainable basis and improve market-related infrastructure, such as construction of kilns for smoking fish, drying racks and storage facilities.  

The financing agreement was signed in Rome by Maria Antónia Nelumba, Secretary of State for Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries of the Republic of Angola, and by Kanayo F. Nwanze, President of IFAD.

“To ensure effective implementation of AFAP, IFAD will tap into its experiences from other projects in the region, in particular the Small Scale Aquaculture Promotion Project and the Artisanal Fisheries Promotion Project, both in Mozambique,” said Robson Mutandi, IFAD Country Programme Manager for Angola. ”Through this new project, IFAD will also promote bottom-up approaches for rural development, centred on building the capacity of grass-roots organizations.”

The project will be implemented by the Ministry of Fisheries of Angola and will reach more than 10,000 fishers, and 5,000 processors and small traders.  Furthermore, it will benefit 800 families engaged in small-scale aquaculture, particularly women headed households, and young and old people from disadvantaged and vulnerable groups.

Since 1991, IFAD has invested a total of $47.2 million in five programmes and projects in Angola, which has generated a total investment of $101.6 million, benefiting about 201,600 households.

Source: IFAD website