Kuito - The vice governor for Economic and Social sphere in central Bié province, Ana Maria Mvuayi Saturday encouraged the National Union of Angolan Peasants (UNACA) for organisation and reorganisation of agricultural cooperatives and peasant associations, in order to increase the local production and productivity.

The official expressed this at Jimba Silili locality, Kuito district, at the provincial celebrations of the 20th anniversary of UNACA, having stressed that the organisation of cooperatives and peasant associations aims to ensure the acquisition of production tools, fertilizers and other agricultural inputs.

She called on the professionals of the sector to increase the field work with view to guarantee the country's development, as the development of Angola is in the hands of the peasants.

According to her, peasants are required to be organized into cooperatives and peasant associations should they want to benefit from several supports related to agricultural activities by the government and partners.

The province of Bie has 68 agricultural cooperatives, 198 peasant associations.