The agriculture sector in the Democratic Republic of Congo faces many challenges, despite its enormous potential in terms of arable land. To counter this situation, the national minister of agriculture, José Mpanda Kabangu, opened a training seminar on agricultural production through the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA). This initiative aims to strengthen the capacities of provincial ministers and inspectors in charge of agriculture in order to promote agricultural transformation in the country.
The main objective of this training is to support those responsible for the agricultural sector in achieving the government’s mission, namely ensuring efficient management of agricultural potential and transforming it into wealth. Indeed, despite its vast arable land, the DRC is facing a major food crisis, with nearly 26 million people experiencing food insecurity, according to the World Food Program (WFP).
The Minister of Agriculture underlines the importance of no longer depending on maize imports from neighboring countries such as Zambia or South Africa. He considers this a shame for a country with such agricultural potential.
With this in mind, the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) was initiated by the President of the Republic in 2021. Its objective is to make agriculture the engine of economic development in the DRC by reducing imports of food products from base, which currently cost the government more than $3 billion.
The training seminar also includes the symbolic distribution of motorcycles to provincial agricultural inspectors, as well as urban and territorial inspectors. This initiative aims to promote their mobility in order to bring them closer to farmers and better support them in their activities.
Minister Mpanda Kabangu recalls that agricultural potential is not enough, it must be transformed into wealth. This will not only help develop the country, but also put an end to massive imports and promote food self-sufficiency for the Congolese population.
In conclusion, the training on the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) aims to strengthen the capacities of those responsible for the agricultural sector in the DRC. This is an important initiative to promote agricultural transformation in the country, put an end to massive imports and guarantee food security for the Congolese population. With real commitment and adequate resources, it is possible to position agriculture as a major lever for the economic development of the DRC.