The Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is determined to transform the country’s agricultural sector and to do this, it is calling for the mobilization of financing. Indeed, the Ministry of Agriculture and that of Finance, in partnership with the International Finance Corporation (World Bank) and the African Development Bank (AfDB), are organizing the prestigious DRC Agri Business forum in Kinshasa.
The forum aims to mobilize $6.6 billion to implement the ten-year strategy for transforming the Congolese agricultural sector. The objective is to develop commercial and productive agriculture, diversify the social base and guarantee the food sovereignty of the Congolese people.
During the opening ceremony, the Congolese Prime Minister, Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde, underlined the importance of this forum in achieving the vision of the Head of State, Félix Tshisekedi, which aims to promote agricultural potential from the country. He also called for improving the investment climate by developing financing solutions and putting in place the necessary infrastructure.
The Minister of Agriculture, José Mpanda, affirmed that the transformation of the agricultural potential of the DRC into real wealth is a major challenge. He stressed the importance of collaboration between different actors in the agricultural sector for the successful implementation of the development strategy.
The Minister of Finance, Nicolas Kazadi, for his part stressed that the agricultural sector contributed only 0.3% of the country’s economic growth over the last year. He stressed the need to establish a value chain to enhance agriculture and transform it into a commercial and productive activity.
The forum mobilized numerous Congolese political figures as well as economic operators. It provides a unique opportunity for collaboration between the public and private sector to identify mutually beneficial agricultural and development projects.
In conclusion, the DRC Agri Business forum marks an important step in the transformation of the Congolese agricultural sector. By mobilizing funding and promoting collaboration between stakeholders, the Congolese government hopes to make the DRC an agricultural power and guarantee the country’s food sovereignty.