AGRICULTURAL POLICY

The agricultural practise currently in use in Coutada 5 for the production of crops, namely swidden or slash-and-burn cultivation, is both ecologically destructive and non-sustainable in the long term. The crop production is, due to poor quality seeds being used and infertile soils, very low and cannot even guarantee adequate subsistence to the farmers and their families.

Africa Futura Wildlife Restoration Lda will gradually introduce the smallholder farmers to modern agricultural production techniques such as permaculture. They will be properly trained in this new venture. This will lead to increased production, lower negative ecological impacts, better equipped and trained farmers and hopefully excess production that can be sold elsewhere.

In addition to increased crop production, a sizeable area to the east of the EN1 main road has been zoned for extensive livestock ranching purposes. This zone will link up with the existing livestock ranching enterprises more towards the east coast, and will probably be made available to interested investors. The size of the units will be 5 000 ha each. These extensive livestock ranching ventures should be easy to establish, since no problems with the supply of suitable cattle breeds will be experienced. As such the agricultural ventures should make a meaningful socio-economic contribution to the region, some years before the planned wildlife blocks come into production.’