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Agriculture
Angola possesses abundant and extensive forestry
resources and biodiversity with considerable eco-
nomic potential. According to Angolan officials, over
40% of Angola land area are covered with forests,
representing a surface of 53 million hectares yet to
be exploited. Angola’s large timber resources in-
clude the great Maiombe tropical rain forest in Cab-
inda. Valuable species such as rosewood, ebony
African sandalwood, mahogany, tola and murberry
are found in the norther forest.
Nevertheless, deforestation is also a reality. Angolan
forests are endangered due to several factors: the
biggest threat comes from subsistence agriculture,
whilst overgrazing and cutting forest for fuelwood are
also significant causes of forest clearing and deg-
radation.
Since timber production has fallen dramatically since
1975, the ‘Instituto de Desenvolvimento Florestal’
(IDF) considers a national forest inventory critical to
support the national policy processes and special-
ised expertise is demanded to plan and run data col-
lection, analysis and dissemination. The real size of
the forest is unknown because the country has never
carried out a national forest inventory.
The forestry vegetation is varied. It includes from
north to south:
the tropical moist forest of high productivity and
biodiversity represent 2% of the total forest area.
It is mostly located in the North, in the provinces of
Cabinda, Congo, Bengo and Kwanza-Norte
open dry forests and savannah or Miombo wood-
lands occupy about 80% of the forest estate. Con-
sidered of medium productivity, it is located in the
plateaus in the central and eastern parts of the
country. It provides valuable resource and services
to the local population (fuel wood, building mate-
rial, fodder, food, medicinal plants, etc.)
the remaining forestry vegetation is found towards
the south and is characterized by lower produc-
tivity. It is composed by mainly wetlands, prairies,
steppes, semi-deserts and deserts.
Mangroves cover an estimated area of 1.25 million
hectares. They host an important reservoir of marine
biodiversity.
Angola’s biological diversity is quite rich. The estima-
tions indicate that there are from 5 000 to
8 000 plant species of which 1 260 are endemic.
FORESTRY
FISHERIES
Despite the weaknesses and problems, the forestry
sector in Angola has a number of strengths and op-
portunities. The sector has at last a new policy of
forests, wildlife, and protected areas that is due to be
adopted by the parliament.
With the stabilization of political and economic situa-
tions, the share of the forestry subsector is expected
to improve and it may reach 4% of the PIB. To sup-
port the sector, several projects are planned in the
short term:
A forestall inventory, which is going to be financed
in a 70% by OGE and in a 30% by FAO
Promotion of the forestry production, exploration
and commercialization of vegetal fuel
Fight against the desertification in the coast and
at Cunene
Quantitative and qualitative plant replacement all
over the country within the public (3.000.000) and
the private sector (1.500.000)
Construction and renovation of provincial brigades
equipment
Creation of forestry centers for formation and pro-
fessional capacity
Fishing in Angola was a major and growing indus-
try before independence from Portugal in 1975. At
that time, annual catches were about 600,000 tons.
Namibe together with Luanda, Benguela and Lobito
were the major fishing ports. With 1,650 km of coast-
line especially rich with sardines, tuna, and macker-
el, Angola is still very attractive for foreign investors
Rio Longa is a good spot for bird watch