Fertile lands strewn under water, crops ravaged and populations struck by this natural disaster, this is the sad picture painted by the recent floods that hit the Mbanza-Ngungu region, located in the Kongo-Central province. More than 1,000 hectares of various crops were destroyed during the night of 21 to 22 November, following torrential rains that fell on the region.
The devastated lands were used to grow cassava, corn, peanuts, bananas, as well as other market garden crops such as tomatoes, eggplant and chives. In the valleys of the Nkokozi and Nvuazi rivers, nearly thirty villages were affected by these floods, plunging the inhabitants into a situation of distress.
Victor Nzuzi Mbembe, a local development actor, bitterly expresses the harmful consequences of these recurring floods on the region’s farmers. Not only do these tragic events impoverish farmers, but they also cause a rise in the prices of agricultural products on local markets. The situation is all the more alarming since these floods occur at the beginning of the agricultural year, thus disrupting essential agricultural activities.
These floods are unfortunately not a new phenomenon for the population of Mbanza-Ngungu, who had already suffered similar situations several times last year, without receiving any help from the authorities. Last January, nearly 2,000 hectares of crops were devastated by floods, leaving farmers in total disarray.
It therefore seems essential to consider sustainable solutions to prevent such disasters in the future. The establishment of hydro-agricultural developments, such as dikes and dams, is essential to protect arable land and local populations from devastating floods. It is imperative that local and national authorities take concrete measures to support farmers and ensure their food security in the face of these increasingly frequent and destructive climatic phenomena.