Fishing for Sustainable Livelihoods in Angola: The Co-operative Approach

The document examines the governance of Angola's artisanal fisheries, where approximately two-thirds of the country's fishers operate. It argues that co-operatives can bridge the gap between the state and local users, facilitating a transition from an informal to a formal sector. The author highlights the challenges posed by a legacy of top-down, socialist co-operative models and recommends a shift toward voluntary, 'bottom-up' enterprises. The paper also discusses the importance of fish for food security in Angola and the role of the Institute for the Development of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture (IPA) in implementing development plans.

• Artisanal fisheries are critical to Angola's food security and livelihoods, with around two-thirds of the country's 31,500 fishers operating in this subsector and up to half of the total population depending on fisheries for their livelihoods.
• The Angolan government prefers using co-operatives as the primary vehicle for interaction between the state and local communities in both the artisanal fisheries and agricultural sectors to address a 'culture of informality'.
• Co-operatives in Angola have been historically influenced by a restrictive Portuguese colonial legacy and subsequent state socialism, leading to a top-down approach where they are often formed to secure government or NGO funding rather than through internal motivation.
• A draft general law of co-operatives has been submitted to the National Assembly, signaling a shift toward a business-oriented model that emphasizes the voluntary nature of co-operatives and their independence from aid organizations.
• The Institute for the Development of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture (IPA), created in 1992, is the body responsible for implementing the artisanal fisheries plan through training, credit facilities, and the promotion of co-operatives.
• Angola employs an 'Angolisation' approach to economic development, requiring all industrial fishing activities to be carried out in association with Angolan enterprises, which led to the collapse of a fisheries agreement with the EU and a subsequent agreement with China.
• The document identifies a hierarchy of mutual self-help institutions in Angola, ranging from the least formal 'quixiquila' to more formal 'solidarity clubs', associations, and finally co-operatives as the most formal legal entities.
• The 2004 Law on Biological Aquatic Resources reserves the first four nautical miles from the shore exclusively for small-scale fishers, including subsistence fishers and artisans.

APA

du Preez, M.-L. (2009). Fishing for Sustainable Livelihoods in Angola: The Co-operative Approach. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/Occasional-Paper-45.pdf

Chicago

du Preez, Mari-Lise. Fishing for Sustainable Livelihoods in Angola: The Co-operative Approach. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2009. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/Occasional-Paper-45.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=du Preez |first1=Mari-Lise |title=Fishing for Sustainable Livelihoods in Angola: The Co-operative Approach |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=September 2009 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/Occasional-Paper-45.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{dupreez2009fishing, author = {du Preez, Mari-Lise}, title = {{Fishing for Sustainable Livelihoods in Angola: The Co-operative Approach}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2009}, month = sep, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/Occasional-Paper-45.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }