Strategic move by Xuan Thien Group – Partnering with Angola in sustainable agriculture

Two days after the signing ceremony in Ninh Binh (September 11), the event’s impact continues to resonate strongly within the business community and among experts, as it is seen as the starting point of a promising new phase of cooperation.

Under the agreement signed between Khang An Trading & Agriculture Co., Ltd. (a member of Xuan Thien Group) and the Soils and Fertilizers Institute under the Vietnam Academy of Agricultural Sciences, the two sides committed to implementing the “Project on fertilizer production and crop nutrition management for cassava and eucalyptus plantations in Angola – Phase I (2025–2035).” This project represents a key link in Xuan Thien’s comprehensive development strategy in the African nation.

The project opens up a long-term vision of developing 500,000 hectares of cassava plantations dedicated to starch processing and the food industry, as well as 1,000,000 hectares of eucalyptus forests to supply a value chain for green pig iron and pulp production. This vision is closely tied to the orientation of building a circular economy, reducing emissions, and strengthening climate change adaptation.

During the 2025–2030 phase, Xuan Thien Group plans to invest in two large-scale organic fertilizer factories in the provinces of Cuanza Sul and Cuando Cubango, with a combined capacity of more than 500,000 tons per year. These factories will directly serve the group’s extensive cassava and eucalyptus raw material zones, ensuring sustainable supply and productivity. Looking ahead to the 2030–2035 phase, the group has set a goal to expand into chemical and NPK fertilizer production. This move will gradually establish an autonomous fertilizer supply chain for its entire agroforestry ecosystem, while also elevating Xuan Thien’s role as a strategic supplier for Angola and the wider West African region.

At the signing ceremony, a representative of Xuan Thien Group underlined: “Our commitment goes beyond investing in projects with economic returns. We are determined to stand alongside the government and the people of Angola in shaping a sustainable agricultural sector—one that harmonizes the benefits of businesses, communities, and the environment.”

One of the most remarkable aspects of Xuan Thien’s projects lies in their inclusive design, which places strong emphasis on encouraging local farmers to become active participants in every stage of the value chain. By directly engaging farming communities, the projects aim to create stable employment opportunities, improve household incomes, and make a meaningful contribution to poverty alleviation. These social impacts are regarded as a decisive factor in ensuring that the projects evolve into a true engine of sustainable development for the host country.

Backed by more than 25 years of diversified experience in renewable energy, banking and finance, construction materials, and high-tech agriculture, Xuan Thien has established itself as one of Vietnam’s most prominent private economic groups. This extensive expertise, accumulated through decades of practice in complex industries, has now been translated into a solid competitive advantage on the international stage. A clear example of this transformation is the group’s official decision in 2023 to invest billions of U.S. dollars in Angola, with projects spanning multiple sectors such as oil and gas, mineral exploitation, hydropower, financial services, and large-scale agroforestry development.

Another milestone, according to Xuan Thien Group’s report, is the near completion of investment procedures for the Xuan Thien Agroforestry Special Economic Zone in Angola. This ambitious project covers an extraordinary 6.8 million hectares, with a total projected investment of approximately USD 4.5 billion. The zone is designed not only to fully harness Angola’s comparative advantages, including vast land reserves, a diverse climate suitable for a wide range of crops, and a plentiful labor force, but also to position itself as a magnet for international capital flows into Africa's agroforestry sector.

This cooperation event, therefore, goes beyond the scope of a mere signing ceremony, it serves as a declaration of the global ambitions of Vietnamese private enterprises. With its scale and long-term vision, the project in Angola is expected to become a significant highlight in the broader picture of Viet Nam–Angola cooperation, while at the same time affirming a new position for Vietnamese businesses on the international investment map.

The establishment of special economic zones not only creates a safe and stable investment environment but also minimizes administrative procedures, enabling businesses to implement projects quickly, effectively, and sustainably. This will serve as a foundation to attract both Vietnamese and international enterprises to participate in the agricultural and forestry sector in Angola, building a closed value chain from production to processing and export.