Luanda - Economist Osvaldo Cruz said Monday in Luanda that the industrialization of agriculture is the key factor to expand the cultivated areas and guarantee food security in the country.
Speaking to ANGOP about the importance of "incorporating" industry into the agricultural sector, the expert said that, among other things, this would provide more efficient means and equipment, modern equipment, which would make it possible to move as soon as possible from subsistence farming to large-scale agriculture and achieve "food independence".
This, he said, would also help to reduce food imports and increase domestic production of essential commodities for dietary diversification, such as maize, wheat, cassava and sweet potatoes.
The expert deplored the post-harvest losses recorded in a large part of the production areas, a reality that he said must be urgently reversed in order to ensure the increased profitability of farming families.
He defended the creation of silos in the growing areas and internal customs posts to absorb surplus production and avoid significant price fluctuations, especially during the rainy season, after stressing the need to improve access roads to the growing areas, expand the electricity grid and provide the means to transport goods from the fields to the main marketing points.
"This will stabilize prices," he said, stressing that it must become cheaper to consume the national product to the detriment of the imported one.
ACC/VC/AMP
