Luanda: The Cacala and Coreia-1 irrigated perimeters in the municipality of Lucala, Cuanza-Norte, were inaugurated on Saturday by the Minister of Agriculture and Forests, Isaac dos Anjos. This development is part of the Government's strategy to enhance food production in Angola. According to Angola Press News Agency, the Cacala irrigated perimeter covers 312 hectares, while Coreia-1 comprises 314 hectares. Together, they are set to benefit over three thousand farming families, based on the technical data presented at the inauguration. The facilities will operate using gravity and pumping methods, supported by intake and suction systems, sluice gates, a weir, open canals, and underground pipelines to irrigate the production zones. Supplied by the Lucala River, the systems feature distribution basins for the irrigation networks. Management of the infrastructure will be handled by a private company responsible for equipment maintenance and establishing policies regarding farmers' access to the facilities. The construction of these perimeters was carried out under the Commercial Agriculture Development Program (PDAC), aimed at increasing agricultural output, promoting food and nutritional security, improving social conditions in beneficiary communities, creating jobs, generating wealth for families, and fostering local development. This investment aligns with the Government's strategy to develop commercial agriculture, increase productivity, and ensure agricultural production that does not depend on rainfall. With construction beginning in September 2025 and funding provided by the World Bank, the execution of the two projects cost over seven million dollars, including supervision expenses. During the inauguration, Minister Isaac dos Anjos stated that the projects would help farmers increase production levels by eliminating the climate-related risk of water shortages during the dry season. He noted that the initiative represents a strategy to improve traditional irrigation methods used by rural communities nation wide, thereby mitigating the effects of drought through the permanent allocation of funds for the maintenance and upgrading of existing irrigation canals across various regions of Angola. Meanwhile, the Governor of Cuanza-Norte province, Joo Diogo Gaspar, viewed the projects as a source of hope for development and job creation for the local population, as they provide the infrastructure necessary for year-round agricultural production, thereby reducing reliance on rainfall.
