APPSA Makes Strides Towards Construction of the Cassava RCoL in Angola

Construction of the Regional Center of Leadership (RCoL) on Cassava and Cassava-based farming systems under the Agricultural Productivity Programme for Southern Africa (APPSA) has effectively started in Malanje Province in the Republic of Angola. This was ascertained during the second leg of the World Bank Implementation Support Mission (ISM) to APPSA-Angola held from the 4th to the 9th of December 2023. The first leg was held from the 13th to the 17th of November in the Kingdom of Lesotho.

APPSA is a six-year World Bank funded initiative currently implemented by Angola and Lesotho and regionally overseen by the Centre for Coordination of Agricultural Research and Development for Southern Africa (CCARDESA). Angola is establishing the RCoL on Cassava whereas Lesotho is focusing on Horticulture and Horticulture-based farming systems.

The construction of the Cassava RCoL is a critical milestone for APPSA in Angola as it is expected to lead agricultural research programmes on cassava at country and regional levels. Cassava is one of the staple foods in the developing world, providing a basic diet for over half a billion people. Angola ranks in the top 10 cassava producers in the World and is one of the five major producers in Africa.

The ISM in Angola appraised project implementation status since the last ISM held in June 2023 to date. Although discussions focused mainly on the construction of the RCoL, the ISM also provided a platform to tackle critical project implementation issues including the ongoing Research and Development (R&D) sub-projects, financial management, procurement, and environmental and social safeguards. The works, expected to be completed by end of May 2024, will include construction of an administrative block, laboratories for Biotechnology, Phytosanitary and Food Technology, some residential houses, a water treatment plant, a meteorological station, green houses, an irrigation system, access road and fencing.

The mission started with a courtesy call to the Secretary of State for Agriculture, João Manuel Bartolomeu da Cunha, who appreciated the support from the World Bank and other stakeholders involved in making the Cassava RCoL a reality for the country and the region. He also emphasized the importance of completing the APPSA project on a good note. The World Bank team was led by the country Task Team Leader (TTL), Aniceto Bila and the incoming Regional TTL and country TTL for Lesotho, Daniel Gerber. Both TTLs were accompanied by experts from various departments to provide asserted recommendations and guidance for the successful implementation of APPSA in Angola.

It is worth noting that 2024 will be the last year of implementation for APPSA. Hence, this was an opportunity for both Angola and Lesotho to critically strategize for the remaining period of project implementation, particularly in relation to infrastructure and the successful completion of ongoing R&D sub-projects with proper documentation of contributions towards the attainment of the Project Development Objective (PDO).