Wanderley Ribeiro, Chairman of the Angola Agricultural and Livestock Association (AAPA) - Cultivating our independence: Producing to set ourselves free

“Our struggle does not end here, however. The goal is the complete independence of our country. [...]” (Proclamation of Independence of Angola, 1975)
Our independence is a work in progress, where the foundations of political sovereignty have been successfully laid. Nevertheless, Angola still faces the challenge of converting this political independence into economic independence. This journey was always going to be one that was neither short nor easy, but half a century down the line, our food sovereignty remains shackled to the resources of others. True freedom today is measured by the ability of a country to feed its people with what it produces and to create prosperity with what it processes.
In this regard, the balance sheet for the last 50 years leaves much to be desired; in addition to the factor of imports, the lack of technical and scientific knowledge about agriculture is pushing us towards low productivity and profitability. The rural exodus (22% of the population was urban immediately after 1975 vs. 70% in 2024) and the significant population growth rate (3.08%) have increased the responsibility of those who work on the land, even though their numbers are dwindling. Today, with almost 70% of Angolans under the age of 30, the new generation is yet to find a clear symbol of emancipation in agriculture. This is because liberation does not come solely from agricultural activity, but also from knowledge. 
It is odd to be taking stock of 50 years of our independence from an agricultural perspective, when I wasn’t even born at the time. My generation learned about the facts from historical records and through the voices of our elders. Nevertheless, the legacy has been passed on to us, and with it the responsibility we have to be active agents in cementing Angola’s independence fully. While the generation of utopia liberated the land, the current generation has to liberate the potential — of the land, of science, of knowledge — and break new ground.
Despite the efforts that have been made over the last 50 years, in the last decade agriculture has taken on a new prominence in terms of diversifying the economy. This is a path of no return, or if you like, it is the path that leads us back. But to do this, we need to read the signs of the times. We are in a global race in which, for many, we are just a destination for consumption, when in fact we have everything we need to be the producers of our own future.
Agriculture and agribusiness need the best of our abilities to ensure that our learning and growth curve is swift and sustainable. While we continue to cultivate our economic independence in the countryside, it is in science and in the new man that we will find the momentum to prosper. And so, with wisdom and the hard work that we are known for, we will reap the freedom and prosperity that we so desire. Angola Avante (‘Onwards Angola’, the Angolan national anthem) towards Production!