LUANDA, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Southern African agricultural science experts met Thursday in Angola's Luanda to share experience in the implementation of the first phase of the Agricultural Productivity Program for Southern Africa (APPSA).
Olga Fafetine, the director-general of the Mozambican Agricultural Research Institute, said the project is a World Bank-funded initiative which seeks to improve technology generation and dissemination within and among participating southern African countries.
The program also aims to strengthen the capacity of national research and development systems, as well as strengthen regional collaboration.
The implementation of the first phase of APPSA held from 2013 to 2020, in Mozambique, Malawi and Zambia made it possible to improve agronomic techniques and, consequently, increase production in these countries, according to the experts.
The director of the Agriculture and Research Services of Malawi, Wilkson Maleumba, said that during that period, his country specialized in the cultivation of maize, while Mozambique specialized in the production of rice and Zambia led the culture of vegetables.
For the second phase, Angola will lead the technology of cassava cultivation, while Lesotho will focus on the production of vegetables.
In order to carry out the mission, the Angolan Government plans to build a Regional Center for Cassava Leadership, according to the country's Secretary of State for Agriculture and Livestock, Joao Cunha. ■