IAK launches new project for the sustainable revival of coffee cultivation in Angola
Last week, IAK Agrar Consulting GmbH officially started project “Project concept for the rehabilitation of coffee cultivation and development of a certification system for deforestation-free supply chains in Angola.” The project is funded by the Angolan Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. The aim is to lay the foundations for a sustainable revival of the Angolan coffee sector – from production to a future-proof, internationally recognized traceability system.
In Luanda, the IAK team held intensive discussions with key players from politics, administration, and business, incl. representatives of the National Coffee Research Institute INCA, the advisor to the Angolan president, the parliamentary state secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, the economic department of the German Embassy, representatives of the EU delegation, and the Angolan Minister of Petroleum and Mining. All these discussions focused on the question of how the coffee sector can be sustainably revitalized and strengthened as a pillar of the country's economic future.
To gain a practical understanding of the current situation, the IAK team visited several coffee farms in the region. Discussions with producers clearly showed that there is potential – both agronomically and economically. At the same time, it is clear that the industry needs structural support, knowledge transfer, and market-oriented mechanisms to become internationally competitive again.
Before the civil war, Angola was one of the world's major coffee producers and an important exporter, particularly in the Robusta segment. However, production has fallen dramatically since the 1970s. Against the backdrop of the national strategy for economic diversification – away from heavy dependence on oil – the coffee sector is now regaining priority in Angolan government policy. The focus is on sustainable value creation, rural development, and international market integration.
The IAK looks back on more than 40 years of cooperation with Angola, marked by projects in the areas of agricultural development, supply chains, and sustainable resource management. The new initiative builds on this continuous presence and aims to introduce modern and future-oriented approaches to the coffee sector. These include digital solutions for data collection and traceability, as well as the foundations for deforestation-free supply chains. The focus is on strengthening local institutions and producers and working together to build sustainable structures for a sustainable sector.