As Angola seeks a sustainable future, it is clear that the country's long-term prosperity lies in its sun and soil rather than its oil.
Its future lies in harnessing its abundant solar resources and vast arable land to transform neglected rural areas into hubs of innovation and economic renaissance. This would generate business opportunities and dignified work, particularly for young people and women, and diversify an economy long dominated by oil.
Oil, which constitutes 30 percent of Angola's gross domestic product and more than 90 percent of exports, operates largely in isolation from the rest of the economy. While generating significant revenue, it is subject to significant price fluctuations, creates few jobs and rarely connects to local businesses.
As a result, communities have become more vulnerable to poverty, with an unemployment rate of around 30 percent and a staggering 53 percent unemployment rate among young people under the age of 25.
A mass exodus to the Angolan capital, Luanda, reflects this vulnerability. Nearly a third of the population is now concentrated in Luanda province, leaving rural communities depopulated and underdeveloped. One of the consequences is a growing food bill, as the country imports some $3 billion worth of food each year.
A similar mass exodus from rural to urban areas is affecting sustainable rural development across much of Africa. In 2023, while Angola's urbanization rate was 69 percent, rates across the continent reached up to 91 percent in Gabon, 76 in Sao Tome and Principe, 74 in Guinea equatorial and 72 in Botswana. This often leads to increased problems with housing, water shortages and food security.
Angola could lead the way in reversing this trend by leveraging its remarkable natural resources. It has some of the highest levels of solar radiation in the world. This powerful natural resource could be harnessed to electrify rural areas (currently, almost half of the country's population does not have access to electricity) and boost the agricultural sector. Furthermore, only about 10 percent of Angola's arable land is cultivated. The agricultural potential is vast.
But a major challenge remains: how to attract young people to the rural areas they fled, returning not as a last resort, but as a promising economic and livelihood alternative?
The answer can be found in modern agriculture, not the traditional, manual labor-intensive sector of the past. Powered by clean energy and transformed by technology, Angola's agricultural renaissance could offer a wealth of opportunities for innovation and growth.
Similar successes in other countries show what is possible. Tanzania recently announced that its food security had reached 128 percent, with the country now exporting surplus crops, supported by rural electrification, youth-focused training and land distribution initiatives.
In India, small-scale farmers have dramatically increased their yields with solar-powered irrigation systems, demonstrating how technology can revolutionize traditional agriculture. In Vietnam, the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices and improved water management and supply chains have driven agricultural growth, with the sector's exports reaching more than $60 billion.
In Angola, investments in solar agriculture could both meet domestic food demand and lay the foundation for high-value exports, such as avocados or specialty crops. By working with local communities to strategically locate and develop infrastructure – starting with essential electricity and connectivity needs – rural areas can become centers of agricultural innovation. The entire agricultural value chain, from marketing and logistics to product development, offers diverse and excellent business opportunities.
The Angolan government has recognized the importance of agriculture, highlighting food security as one of the two pillars of its national development plan, and launched the Program for Acceleration of Family Agriculture and Strengthening of food security. However, much remains to be done to stimulate the development of rural areas.
This includes deliberate interventions to make doing business easier, agile policies, digital and data-driven agriculture skills training, and innovative agriculture-specific financing mechanisms.
An example of this type of innovative financing comes from Nigeria, where the Risk Sharing Scheme for Agricultural Loans (NIRSAL) has mobilized over $273 million in guaranteed loans. This provided assurance and technical support to thousands of farmers and guided government policy to boost agricultural growth.
Additionally, careful planning is needed to ensure that agricultural development does not lead to the degradation of healthy ecosystems or loss of biodiversity. Initiatives and training that encourage sustainable low-carbon practices, such as soil conservation techniques, hydroponics, drip irrigation and crop diversification, can help mitigate these risks, ensuring that Angola's agricultural growth maintains the health of its ecosystems.
Through strategic investment and policy support, Angola has the potential to reduce its dependence on food imports, create dignified livelihoods for its youth, and become a southern African hub for diversified, productive agriculture. and durable. Now is the time for Angola to act, leveraging its sun and soil to lead the way in transforming this vast potential into sustainable, inclusive prosperity for all.
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial position of Al Jazeera.
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