The World Bank has provided a loan of US$25 million to Angola to fund scientific research into the country’s cassava production chain, said the coordinator of the Agricultural Productivity Program for Southern Africa (APPSA).

Moniz Paulo Mutunda on Sunday presented the future Regional Centre for Cassava Leadership of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), which the city of Malanje will host from next October.

In addition to Malanje, the provinces of Huambo, Bié, Kwanza Sul, Namibe, Zaire, Luanda and Cabinda will also benefit from that funding for the construction of infrastructure and laboratories, as well as training up technicians who will work in the cassava Research Centres in these regions.

Mutunda said that the Malanje Cassava Research Centre aims to create conditions for increasing cassava yield, thus increasing the income of rural families.

The presentation of the future SADC Regional Cassava Leadership Centre was held in the first cassava hall at the Malanje International Fair (Expo-Malanje), which took place from 2 to 5 May in the city.

Expo-Malanje, which ended on Sunday, was attended by about 150 national companies, as well as companies from Portugal, Brazil, South Africa and China, in a promotion of the government of Malanje in partnership with the Eventos Arena company. (Macauhub)