Huambo, – The Angolan Government intends to plant annually all over the country, an average of 50 hectares of trees, to enable their use in the process of production of  bio-fuels, Angop learnt.

This was announced Friday in central Huambo province by the deputy minister of Agriculture for Forests, André de Jesus Moda.

The official added that the ministry has already set up a pre-accord with a firm dealing in energy production from trees as a renewable resource that is also cheaper.

"Energy is a key factor for the development for any country. And it is in conformity with this that the ministry has been cooperating with firms of the sector for the production of bio-fuels to the based in Angola, taking into account the high costs of hydric and thermal energies.

André Moda also said that over the last four years (2004-2009), a total of 153,000 hectares of trees were planted in the country under an experimental programme.

To him, this shows the Government interest in expanding the country’s  forest zones.

Angola has a area of 53 million hectares of forests.  Of that area, 3,1 million are designated for  species keeping.