Almost the capital of Angola at one point, Huambo is now trying to regenerate its once-beautiful cities

Known as "The Granary of Angola", the province of Huambo has long been at the center of Angolan history – it was here that the grandiose city of Nova Lisboa or New Lisbon was built during the heyday of Portuguese colonialism in the early 20th century. The intention was to move the capital from Luanda to Huambo because of its pleasant climate and productive maize plantations, but in fact this never happened.

Architecturally, Nova Lisboa (now known as Huambo) was a landmark. With its stunning colonial style buildings and wide avenues, it used to be Angola's most beautiful city. But the city was also key in terms of Angola's political evolution. Here, on November 11, 1975, UNITA's leader Jonas Savimbi declared the independence of Angola; simultaneously, President Agostinho Neto declared independence in Luanda. The civil war had begun, and Huambo became a crucial symbol of UNITA's struggle for power.

Huambo's Governor Paulo Kassoma says, "Huambo was an epicenter of the civil war. Although UNITA was driven out of Huambo in 1976, they reoccupied it in 1992, holding it for three years. The city was completely destroyed during that period of bitter fighting." Huambo now lies in ruins. Almost every building has been scarred by bullets and shells. The destruction of this once glorious city is a tragedy.

Although Huambo is still the most densely populated province in the country, three quarters of its population are displaced. Thousands have fled the province and are now living in desperate conditions on the outskirts of Luanda. Most of the people who remained in the province are concentrated in Huambo city because the outlying areas are heavily mined. However, the situation is improving. "Now that the province is more militarily secure, people are venturing out of the city to villages which are fully controlled by the government," says Paulo Kassoma.

The obvious priorities are the regeneration of the city of Huambo itself, as well as the rehabilitation of the province's maize plantations. The problem is a lack of investment. According to Paulo Kassoma, "Luanda and Cabinda benefit from state investments of between $50 million to $60 million a year. Huambo only receives $3 million to invest in education, health, and other essential areas. This makes life quite difficult, especially because such a large proportion of Angola's population live in this province."

The governor adds, "Huambo previously had the second largest industrial zone in Angola as well as a renowned university, with impressive medical, veterinary and agronomic faculties. We have signed an agreement with the ministries of agriculture and education to rehabilitate and reopen the university this year." The planned reopening of the Institute of Agricultural Research and Faculty of Agricultural Science could return Huambo to its former pioneering role in the study of food processing techniques and agri-business.

One of the governor's aims is to oversee the planting of one million arabica coffee trees in the province. Huambo's temperate climate and fertile soils are idea for arabica coffee. Kassoma says: "Arabica is the most popular coffee on the world market. By exporting this product, we would not only generate revenue for the province but also attract more foreign investment."

Although it still has a long way to go, Huambo could once again become the breadbasket of Angola. "Agriculture is the petroleum of Huambo" is often the slogan used to promote the province. With peace and investment, there is a real possibility that Huambo could thrive and prosper, returning to its former glory.