Caption: Interactive map presenting country specific data, including universities and incubators contacted for the study and the digital innovations identified at the time of the study
Angola Ranked 13 of 16 Countries in the Benchmark
The benchmark assessment reflects the extent to which Angola is unlocking positive pathways towards a digital economy and supporting a vibrant ecosystem of different actors.
Caption: Results from Benchmark Assessment for Angola
Angola ranked 13 out of 16 in the benchmark assessment which suggests that it is some way behind the other SADC member states.
| Group | Country | Benchmark Index Score (Adjusted) | Overall Benchmark Ranking |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Africa | 0.5891 | 1 |
| Mauritius | 0.5839 | 2 | |
| Seychelles | 0.5155 | 3 | |
| Global Median | 0.5064 | ||
| 2 | Eswatini | 0.4222 | 4 |
| Tanzania | 0.4138 | 5 | |
| Botswana | 0.4114 | 6 | |
| 3 | Zimbabwe | 0.3895 | 7 |
| Namibia | 0.3809 | 8 | |
| Lesotho | 0.3802 | 9 | |
| African Median | 0.3595 | ||
| Zambia | 0.3506 | 10 | |
| Malawi | 0.3483 | 11 | |
| Madagascar | 0.3005 | 12 | |
| 4 | Angola | 0.2985 | 13 |
| Mozambique | 0.2919 | 14 | |
| DR Congo | 0.2782 | 15 | |
| Comoros | 0.2497 | 16 |
Caption: Overall Benchmark Assessment Results and Rank for all SADC member states
For further information on the benchmark results and regional trends please read the Situational Analysis Report.
Digitalization is Being Prioritized in Policies but Only at an Early Stage in the Agriculture Sector
Six documents were reviewed that focused on integrating ICTs, transforming to a digital economy or prioritized the importance of digitalization across the economy in Angola.
These documents provide an optimistic picture that Angola is focusing on digital transformation, which included references to more advanced and emerging technologies and priorities such as data management and dissemination.
No specific sectoral strategy or policy on digitalization within agriculture was identified. However, agriculture was featured as a key pillar in two documents.
It seems that digitalization within the agriculture sector in Angola is at an embryonic stage.
13 Innovations were Identified in Angola with Digital Advisory the Most Common Solution
All use cases were represented in Angola including digital advisory, agri-digital financial services, digital procurement, agri e-commerce and smart farming.
Digital advisory was most common and prevalent with a clear gap around agri-digital financial services.
Caption: Diagram illustrating number of identified innovations and their sub use case solutions.
The surveyed innovations addressed all stages of the value chain, but most are tailored to the earlier stages: on-farm production and planning.
Caption: Diagram illustrating number of innovations identified in each phase of the value chain.
Angolan innovators face challenges to reach scale and financial sustainability. Almost half the innovations would need additional subsidies or donor funding to continue, with many innovations relying on donor grants for their start-up funding.
Digital Agriculture Trainings are not Provided by Incubators nor Innovation Hubs
Digitalization in the agricultural sector is an important driver for economic growth, especially in rural areas. However, digital agricultural trainings are not yet targeted by innovation hubs or incubators, even though they are taught at the José Eduardo dos Santos University.
Digital agriculture needs to be supported by local policies and capacity building must be promoted among incubators and innovation hubs to prepare the local youth to invest in the sector and develop new services for the local farmers and agricultural stakeholders.
Angola is one of the SADC countries that has not established its National Research and Education Network (NRENs). NRENs are critical for supporting access to cheaper internet bandwidth and providing platforms for shared e-services for the benefit of education, training, and research.
Icons - credit to NounProject https://thenounproject.com/
