The Democratic Republic of Congo is facing a shortage of maize in the Katanga and Kasaï areas. Jean-Jacques Mpanga, national deputy of the territory of Mitwaba, challenged the Minister of Agriculture on this issue by addressing an oral question with debate.
In his correspondence, the MNA asks the Minister if he is surprised by this corn shortage situation and what measures have been taken to avoid it. He would also like to have statistics for the last three years describing corn consumption and production needs in the Katanga and Kasaï areas and to know the level of implementation of the measures recommended by the Government’s Action Program 2021-2023.
Jean-Jacques Mpanga wonders about the priority given to concluding maize import agreements with Zambia and South Africa when the country has enormous agricultural potential. According to the deputy, the way of importing is ephemeral and should not be the long-term solution to make up for the lack of maize. He also recalls that agriculture is the cornerstone of a country’s development and contributes to the fight against poverty by ensuring food self-sufficiency for the population.
Thus, faced with this worrying situation, it is necessary for the Minister of Agriculture to provide clear explanations to public opinion and put in place lasting solutions to ensure food security for the Congolese population. Indeed, the Democratic Republic of Congo has considerable agricultural potential that the State should exploit to promote the economic development of the country.