ANGOLA – The Angolan government has recently launched the pig livestock promotion program in the province of Lunda-Norte in an effort to restore the region’s self-sufficiency in pork production.

The program saw to the distribution of pigs across 500 families in ten municipalities to improve local livestock farming and reduce reliance on imports.

The director of the Provincial Office for Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, Mr José Mendes, informed the public that the project was initiated by the ministry in an effort to guarantee a consistent supply of meat to the residents of the province.

Luanda-Norte received 150 pigs distributed among 40 cooperatives of breeders. Six focal points were also created to train pig farmers to guarantee the success of the project.

According to José Mendes, each of the focal points will be allocated five pigs, specifically four females and one male, while all the other beneficiaries will receive three pigs each.

In addition to the distribution of the pigs, the government also delivered 14 motorcycles to the provincial department of the Institute of Agrarian Development (IDA) so as to improve the activity of technical assistance to the local producers.

The allocated motorcycles will enable IDA technicians travel to various agricultural locations and offer assistance.

There have been other similar projects in the towns of Cossa and Nordeste in the municipality of Cambulo and Cacada and Mucoloji in the municipality of Chitato, which helped supply the main villages in Luanda-Norte with meat and meat products.

The government has it in good faith that the new program will produce satisfactory results based on the eco-psychological conditions that allowed the previous similar projects to yield promising results.

“The province has this livestock potential, especially in pig farming and poultry, due to Diamang’s track record, whose results were satisfactory, ” José Mendes declared.

The new pigs comprise of species common to the nation called Ganda 1 and Ganda 2 as well as other European breeds which are said to be resistant to African Swine Fever (ASF) and have a fertility rate of 14 offspring on average.

After enough reproduction has happened with the new pigs, the beneficiaries are expected to return 60% of the offspring to the government so that they can be distributed to the adjacent communities with the aim of expanding the productive integration program.

As pigs are animals with a short gestation period, 114 days, José Mendes says that the distribution is expected to take place in a fairly short time throughout the province which will in no time increase the pig population in Luanda-Norte.

The beneficiaries highlighted that the initiative will not only contribute to the growth of animal production but also help generate income for the residents of Luanda-Norte.

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