The work of the launch workshop of the project “Empowerment through the promotion of agricultural and rural entrepreneurship sensitive to nutrition, inclusive and resilient” (AVENIR) recently ended in Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo. This workshop, which took place from December 4 to 8, 2022, allowed the various stakeholders involved to take ownership of the project and understand the essential aspects to ensure its implementation on the ground.
At the closing of the workshop, the Secretary General of Agriculture, José Ilanga, expressed his gratitude to the President of the Republic for his vision of promoting the agricultural and rural sector. He stressed that the resolutions of this workshop will provide the coordination of the AVENIR project with the necessary tools for optimal management.
The Secretary General also stressed that this work laid the foundations for the success of the project, and invited the final committee to work in collaboration with the outgoing members of the Preparatory Committee to develop the necessary tools, as well as the schedule of activities for the year 2024.
For his part, the representative of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Doctor Valentine Achancho, considered this workshop to be the real beginning of the AVENIR project. He stressed the importance for all stakeholders to achieve the expected results through this project.
Dr Achancho also called on producer organizations to play a counter-power and supervisory role to ensure that project support meets the needs of direct beneficiaries and brings real change to their lives.
The AVENIR project, co-financed by the International Fund for Agricultural Development and the French Development Agency, aims to improve the situation of agricultural and rural entrepreneurs by focusing on nutrition, inclusiveness and resilience. This seven-year project represents a significant challenge for the project team and the Ministry of Agriculture, and it is essential to mobilize all stakeholders to ensure its success.
In conclusion, this launch workshop made it possible to lay the necessary foundations for the implementation of the AVENIR project. It is now up to the project team and the Ministry of Agriculture to work together to address the challenges and achieve the project objectives. The empowerment of agricultural and rural entrepreneurship in the DRC is essential to revitalize this sector and improve the living conditions of the populations concerned.