Impacto da ausência de indústria de processamento de tomate na Baía-Farta, Província de Benguela, Angola

An agroindustry is a physical environment equipped and prepared for activities related to the transformation of raw materials from agricultural fields, livestock farming or forestry. Benguela, located in the south-central region of Angola, is an area with great agricultural potential, standing out in tomato production. The communes of Equimina and Dombe-Grande, in particular, have vast agricultural areas dedicated to tomato cultivation, but face difficulties due to the lack of an industrial structure that adds value to production. The main objective of the study is to analyze the economic, social and productive impacts of the lack of a tomato processing industry in the communes of Equimina and Dombe-Grande, in the municipality of Baía-Farta, Benguela province. The research presents a qualitative approach, with semi-structured interviews with producers. Data analysis followed a descriptive and interpretative approach, considering the socioeconomic context of the communes and the literature related to the impact of the absence of agricultural processing industries. The results indicate that the lack of a tomato processing industry in Benguela has direct implications for the economic, productive and social stability of the two communes under study. This directly affects the sustainability of local production and prevents the development of a more robust production chain.