Luanda: Farmers in Cuanza-Sul province are investing in improving quality and increasing coffee production, aiming to boost the sector's competitiveness and contribute to the economic development of both the province and the country.
According to Angola Press News Agency, this was announced on Sunday by Francisco Celeste, owner of the "1.º de Agosto" farm, during the coffee, banana, and palm fair taking place in the municipality of Gabela. At the event, producers and business owners called for increased financing, better road access, and greater investment in cultivation techniques.
The farmer reported harvesting 17 tons of coffee in 2025 and projects reaching 28 tons during the current agricultural season. The farm currently has 72 tons in storage and aims to reach 100 tons in order to participate in international coffee auctions. Francisco Celeste explained that he began operations using his own capital and later benefited from financing provided by the Agricultural Development Support Fund (FADA), receiving 38 million Kwanzas, as well as an additional 179 million Kwanzas through the Commercial Agriculture Development Project (PDAC) to revitalize production.
Among the main constraints cited were the poor condition of the roads, which hinders the transport of produce to market, and the high labor costs involved in rehabilitating cultivated areas. The farm currently employs 24 permanent workers and approximately 300 seasonal workers.
Meanwhile, Jos© Ventura, Director General of the company JMV, stated that the farm, previously abandoned, is undergoing rehabilitation. However, the company's core business remains purchasing coffee from growers, with an annual intake of 140 tons of commercial-grade coffee. He added that the company harvested 15 tons in 2025 and expects to double production this year to around 30 tons, aiming to restore levels seen prior to the farm's decline. The coffee produced is sold in major retail outlets across the country, and the farm spans 163 hectares. An estimated 400 million Kwanzas is required to rehabilitate 100 hectares of coffee plantations and boost production to 300 tons of high-quality coffee.
Sara Santos, representing the company ART-com©rcio, advocated for greater efforts to improve coffee quality and emphasized the necessity of bank financing and government support for sector revitalization projects. Entrepreneur Marcos Almeida of MAFCOM stated that coffee produced in Gabela continues to be recognized for its quality, including at international trade fairs. He stressed that collaboration between authorities and family farmers would enable the achievement of goals set for revitalizing the coffee industry. MAFCOM works with approximately 4,000 family farmers across the provinces of Uge, Cuanza-Norte, and Cuanza-Sul, promoting good agricultural practices among small, medium, and large-scale producers.
During the fair, a symposium was held to address current challenges in coffee production, investment, financing, partnerships, sustainability, and local governance. Data presented during the event indicate that Cuanza-Sul has 9,812 coffee producers, comprising 9,616 family farmers, 196 commercial agricultural producers, and 36 cooperatives.
