Equatorial Guinea Minister of Economy, Commerce and Business Promotion lead a delegation from Equatorial Guinea to the pan African AgriBusiness Forum 2011 which was held in Johannesburg, South Africa, from 16th to 19th October.  The Agribusiness Forum 2011, co-organized by the UNDP and EMRC focused on developing Africa’s agricultural sector while fostering a greater role for the private sector. 

H.E. Francisca Tatchoup Belope: The Government of Equatorial Guinea is redoubling efforts to put agriculture at the forefront in the framework of "Horizon 2020”. These efforts consist in developing the training of human resources in the agricultural and livestock sector, providing farms with machinery and equipment: e.g., the acquisition of thirty eight (38) tractors, with their respective implements, and fifty eight (58) power cultivators with the objective of introducing a mechanized agriculture and boost productive practices. Today these tractors are already operating in different pilot farms distributed in different provinces of the country, with the assistance of the company MAECI.  

With this initiative, together with the Detailed Program of Development in Africa (PDDAA, in Spanish) and the Food Security National Program (PNSA), as well as two capacity building schools managed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry –which trains agriculture and livestock technicians, including engineers and agricultural mechanization engineers from the National University (UNGE)- we can ensure to obtain fairly good results in meeting the food and nutritional needs of the population, thus implementing the slogan "food for everybody” with the perspective of 2020.

EMRC:  How important is Foreign Direct Investment and other forms of outside investment for the country’s vision to achieve sustainable development. How is the country planning to attract investors?

FTB: In the last decades Equatorial Guinea has received more than US$ 10.000 million of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). This FDI has been channeled mainly to the sector of extractive industries, thanks to the discovery of great deposits of crude oil and gas, which made Equatorial Guinea the fastest-growing country in Africa. Therefore we cannot ignore that thanks to this investment, Equatorial Guinea can be proud of becoming a developing country.  

Of course not everything has been achieved. Moreover, we want to make Equatorial Guinea an emerging country in the "Horizon 2020”, thanks to the masterly vision of H.E. the President of the Republic, who skillfully monitors the evolution of our nation, fostering the successive National Economic Conferences, particularly the II National Economic Conference, where the Development Plan was approved.  

Evidently, in order to materialize our vast Plan, the Government is taking very seriously the role and the need of FDI, and we are determined to attract foreign private investment so they can represent, along with the private national initiatives, the motor boosting the Economic Emergency.  

In this regard, the Government, with the support of its partners in development, is undertaking structural reforms necessary to keep improving the "business climate” in our country, with regards both to the legal framework and to other administrative aspects with an impact in the business climate, the main factor to attract FDI.

EMRC: A delegation from Equatorial Guinea will be present at the Forum. What is the main objective of the delegation’s presence?

FTB:  As its name, AgriBusiness, indicates, the presence of the Equatoguinean Delegation is of vital importance, because the national development of the agriculture sector is one of the "Diversification Pillars” considered under the National Development Plan "Horizon 2020”. The strategic objective is to promote a modern agriculture that guarantees the food security and encourages the development of a new framework of rural life, intensifying, diversifying and ascribing value to agricultural productions.  That is why we want to take this opportunity to showcase our Plan, as well as the potentialities that exist in this sector and in Equatorial Guinea; we hope to find experienced investors that could guide us to help achieving the objectives that we set.

EMRC: What agricultural products does Equatorial Guinea aim to develop in the near future?

FTB: According to the policies, strategies and measures outlined in the Economic Strategy adopted at the First National Conference (NEC), the Government of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea aims at developing in the medium term the agricultural production in the country.  

Through the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, we expect to develop the agricultural products that are listed below:

•   AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS: 

1. Fruits: bananas, bananas, oranges, tangerines, mangoes, avocados, atanga, cassava, and others. 
   
2. Tubers: cassava, taro, sweet potatoes, yams, potatoes, and others. 
   
3. Vegetables: tomatoes, carrots, onions, watermelons, beans, eggplant, pepper, chili and other vegetables.    

• LIVESTOCK PRODUCTS: 
  

1. Sheep: breeding and meat production 
   
2. Goats: reproduction and meat production 
   
3. Pigs: meat production and reproduction 
   
4. Chickens: Production of eggs and meat 
   
5. Offspring of ducks: meat production  

• FISH FARMING: 
  

1. Fish farming: increasing the number of existing ponds.

 

EMRC: Equatorial Guinea is a member of the Central African Economic and Monetary Union (CEMAC), and of the larger Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS). Can you explain about your approach to regional integration?

FTB: Nowadays, Equatorial Guinea is member of CEMAC/ECCAS, where the integration of the agriculture and livestock sector is qualified as eminent. The Government’s vision is not reduced to the internal level of the country, but aspires to extend it to other spheres in the sub-region. During the eighties, around 1989, our country exported on a large scale income crops (coffee, cocoa, palm oil, etc.) to Cameroon and Gabon; this means that despite their respective agricultural potentialities and the strong competition in the markets of the sub-region, our income crops can, thanks to a mechanized agriculture, to better integrate in CEMAC/ECCAS.