Final evaluation of ProAgro 2006-2012 : lessons learned from six years of cooperative agriculture development in Angola

It then presents an historical overview of ProAgro, including a presentation of the primary goals and objectives of the program. These goals and objectives are then analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. This review is based on documentary data collected, and observations made, by the author during a three-week visit to the program in late April and early May 2012. The final two sections of the report present the reviewer's conclusions and recommendations related to the program. The emphasis in these concluding sections is on lessons learned from the six years of CLUSA's agricultural cooperative development experience that can be applied to future such projects especially related to coffee and bananas in Angola and also to similar agricultural cooperative development projects in other countries. ProAgro has been largely successful in carrying out a value chain project that has benefited over 6,000 farmers in Kwanza Sul, Benguela and Bengo provinces. It has set the stage for increases in production and marketing for the future through its development of 25 cooperatives, 12 co-op service centers, CESACOOPA ( a union of cooperatives in Kwanza Sul), and the proposed Cooperative Federation in Benguela. Both coffee and banana production now appear to be nearing a critical mass in which coordinated marketing through CESACOOPA, the planned Cooperative Federation in Benguela, and the co-ops have the potential to play major roles in increasing producer returns and continuing production and productivity.