That gap is now being filled and, with the “Agri” branch of the company, Carrinho is in the process of connecting small farmers and their families. Through NGOs such as Saiver, which train and mentor and supply seeds to local farmers, he has begun to build a nationwide network of raw material suppliers. The plan is to contract 50,000 in a first test phase. That is just the beginning. “Our potential in the coming years is around 1 million,” Carrinho says.
The entrepreneur is not resting there, and the successful implementation of the Benguela food park has given him, his family, and his team additional impetus to make their shared dream reality. The credibility and experience that Carrinho has gained have spurred him on to build the next, even larger complex, code-named “Wakanda”.
The Wakanda food park, to be built in northern Angola, will have the same orientation as the Benguela facility – just three times the size. Currently the concept is being developed and the planning phase is in full swing. Construction is planned to start in 2025. “We want to take a leap and finally get in the lead,” Carrinho says. The company has been running behind the curve, he explains, especially given Angola’s rapidly growing population.
The country has around 34.5 million inhabitants, but experts expect this number to double to more than 60 million by 2050.
“By 2030, we will have built the value chains and platforms in the country to be self-sufficient in managing and even exporting this growth,” says Nelson Carrinho confidently. Those who have seen what has emerged in Benguela share his conviction. The next Carrinho UFO has already begun its approach into northern Angola.