Law No. 8/2019 approving the Major Options Plan for the Economic Year of 2019.

This Law No. 8/2019 approves the Major Options Plan (GOP) for the Economic Year of 2019. This Plan, consisting of four sections, incorporates policy and investment measures establishing the economic and financial policy priorities for this period, a robust economic growth and an accelerated creation of employment, improvement of the quality of health and social protection. In compliance with the Governmental Programme. These options continue the policy of investments in the areas of food security, economic and social infrastructures, drinking water, energy, access and improvement of the education system at all levels, improved health care as well as the business environment for relaunching the private sector and attracting foreign investments. Agriculture, livestock and fisheries are essential economic activities in the country, in terms of job offer and food security. In this context, the great challenge is to adopt policies aimed at promoting food security through the implementation of programmes that contribute to increase domestic production and reduce external dependence on food staples (pag. 369)
The programme aims to promote productivity, increasing food crop production, diversification and ensuring food security for domestic consumption needs, as well as the exporting agricultural products. In this context, for 2019, the following measures are defined: increase food production for internal consumption, to reduce food import dependency; promote the growth of production and productivity of export crops; promote the sustainable development of the country through agro-business; promote organic and bio products; promote new techniques of cultivation and irrigation with the aim of a better profitability of production and optimization of scarce water resources; develop hydraulic services and irrigation of agricultural land, etc. (pag. 380).
This programme aims to fight against extreme poverty and social exclusion of vulnerable children, mothers and elderly people by consolidating social assistance and supporting the social integration of the most vulnerable groups. In this context, by 2019, the following measures were defined: support unprotected and extremely poor mothers, children and the elderly; cover the costs of Social Cooking; support people with disabilities; build and provide shelter for women and children in situations of violence; implement a strategy on gender issues, etc. (pag. 394).
Sao Tome and Principe is highly vulnerable to climate change. Therefore, the country's economic development aspirations will depend on the activities undertaken and the policies pursued that could put additional pressure on the environment. In this context, the major challenge is to achieve integrated coastal zone management that reconciles environmental protection and economic, social and cultural development with a view to sustainable development (pag. 369). This programme aims to promote actions that contribute to the conservation and rational management of forestry natural resources and biodiversity. It includes actions related to the conservation of forests, educational and awareness campaigns for environmental preservation (pag. 381).