Despite its vast agricultural potential, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) imports $3 billion worth of food annually.
The main issues facing the country’s agricultural sector include low productivity, infrastructure deficiencies, limited access to credit, and the lack of modern technology. As a result, local producers do not have significant access to the agricultural-food market.
However, the Congo’s 80 million hectares of arable land present a great opportunity to support the country’s economic development. The government plans to introduce tax exemptions for the import of agricultural equipment and distribute tractors to farmers. Additionally, the agricultural budget has also been increased.
It is emphasized that private investments in agricultural processing, irrigation, and logistics need to be encouraged for the development of the agricultural sector. These steps aim to strengthen the DRC’s agricultural sector and reduce the country’s food imports.
