Agricultural training in the DRC: building capacities for sustainable agricultural transformation
The agricultural sector in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has always been considered to have untapped potential. Despite its vast arable and irrigable land, the country faces a major food crisis, with millions of people suffering from food insecurity. It is in this context that the national minister of agriculture, José Mpanda Kabangu, opened a training seminar on agricultural production through the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA).
The objective of this training is to strengthen the capacities of provincial ministers and inspectors in charge of agriculture in order to implement effective policies and strategies for agricultural transformation in the DRC. Indeed, it is essential to transform agricultural potential into wealth in order to reduce imports of basic food products and develop the country’s economy.
The agriculture minister stressed the importance of not relying on food imports and said it was unacceptable that the DRC had to import maize from neighboring countries such as Zambia and South Africa.
Under the ATA, the government launched a program aimed at making agriculture the engine of economic development in the DRC and reducing expenses linked to imports of basic food products. The training of provincial ministers and inspectors of agriculture is therefore an important step in achieving this objective.
The seminar also planned the distribution of motorcycles to provincial agricultural inspectors, in order to facilitate their mobility and allow them to be present in the field to supervise farmers.
In conclusion, agricultural training in the DRC aims to strengthen the capacities of key actors in the agricultural sector in order to promote agricultural transformation and reduce dependence on food imports. This is an important step towards the sustainable development of the economy and the country’s food security.