Life in the territory of Kwamouth, in the province of Mai-Ndombe, has become extremely difficult due to rising prices and shortages of food products. For the past year, the region has been torn apart by a communal conflict between the Teke and Yaka ethnic groups, which has led to massive population displacement and a decrease in agricultural production.
Residents of Kwamouth are facing soaring prices of basic necessities. For example, the price of a cup of rice went from 1100 FC to 1500 FC, that of beans from 3000 FC to 3500 FC, and the bag of cassava, which was sold at 30,000 FC, now reaches 55,000 FC. Even corn has seen its price increase from 1000 FC to 1500 FC per cup.
This situation is due to low agricultural production caused by the displacement of farmers from surrounding villages to the city of Kwamouth, where security is relatively better. Unfortunately, this concentration of population created an imbalance between supply and demand, which drove up prices.
Local civil society is sounding the alarm and stressing that it has become increasingly difficult to meet food needs. Martin Suta, president of the civil society of Kwamouth, testifies: “Life in Kwamouth is difficult. Production is not up to the number of people present in the city. Prices are rising and it is becoming more and more difficult to eat on a meager budget.
This economic and food crisis is not just limited to Kwamouth. The capital Kinshasa and the province of Kwango are also suffering the consequences. Provincial MP-elect of Kwamouth, Moïse Makani, stresses the importance of maintaining peace in the region to reverse the trend: “The solution lies in resolving the conflict and restoring security. The military must carry out deterrence operations against the attackers in the targeted areas in order to restore peace and allow farmers to resume their activities.”
The territory of Kwamouth has been living for a year in violence, a conflict which now has economic and food repercussions