From July 30 to August 2, the province of Lunda Norte in Angola hosted an intensive training on the theme “Agricultural Transformation into Income” as part of the KULIMA project.

The event, held in the city of Dundo, brought together 16 technicians from the Diocesan Caritas of Luena and Dundo, and the Archdiocesan Caritas of Saurimo, along with 4 trainers.

On the first day of training, the focus was on seed extraction and conservation.
Engineer Lubamba led the theoretical session in the morning, explaining methods for extracting and conserving seeds of tomatoes, pumpkins, eggplants, jilos, and okra. In the afternoon, participants applied the knowledge gained in practical activities, including land preparation and sowing.

The second day was dedicated to transforming agriculture into income, with the morning reserved for theory and the afternoon for practice, both facilitated by Sister Conceição.
In the theoretical session, participants learned various practical ways to use and prepare vegetables such as pumpkin, cassava, carrot, cabbage, wheat bran, and tomato.
In the practical session, they learned to make cassava bread, highlighting the importance of diversifying agricultural products.

During the last two days of training, Rosto Solidário led the sessions, addressing crucial topics on resource and income management.
The first part focused on agricultural priorities in family farming, followed by a dynamic exercise using the Bohnanza game to discuss agricultural production and negotiation training.
The program also included discussions on risk management in the production chain and agricultural production control, culminating in a market simulation where participants practiced buying, selling, trading, consuming, and donating.

This and other training sessions conducted under the KULIMA project aim to equip Caritas technicians to improve the sustainability and efficiency of family farming, thereby contributing to the food security of the project’s beneficiary families.

“Kulima Ku Tatuisa Kulia,” which in Cokwe, a language spoken in eastern Angola, means “to cultivate is to ensure food security,” has the primary goal of training around 300 households (about 500 people—men, women, and children) in the communities of Lunda Norte, Lunda Sul, and Moxico provinces.

Through this training, it is expected that they will become active agents in diversified food production, also enhancing the creation of 6 agricultural associations, thus ensuring their food security and greater financial independence.

This project is supported by partnerships with Rosto Solidário, Caritas Portuguesa, Caritas Angola, the Diocesan Caritas of Dundo (Lunda Norte), the Archdiocesan Caritas of Saurimo (Lunda Sul), and the Diocesan Caritas of Luena (Moxico), with co-financing from Camões, I.P.

 

Discover the participants’ testimonies [here]!