AGRICULTURE (27)
Frico Agri, a Congolese company that produces frozen fries from locally grown potatoes, has signed three memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with Dutch firms, Delphy B.V., Go&Grow Farm Solutions, and Agrico B.V., to support the growth of the potato industry in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The partnerships were formalized during a business visit to the Netherlands from October 13 to 30, 2025, led by Frico Agri founder Jean Johnson Bapanga. The mission received technical support from the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), the Dutch Embassy in the DRC, the Orange Corners program, and Ingenious City.
The planned collaboration with Delphy B.V. will focus on adapting agricultural practices to local growing conditions. The firm will offer expertise in sustainable soil management, integrated pest control, climate-smart farming, and technical training for local producers.
Go&Grow Farm Solutions will help Frico Agri modernize its operations by strengthening mechanization, upgrading storage facilities, and training local staff.
The proposed agreement with Agrico B.V. covers a 10-hectare pilot project to grow the Markies potato variety in Kongo Central province. The project includes varietal trials, producer training, and agronomic monitoring to improve yields and quality. Frico Agri expects the pilot to produce around 450 tons of potatoes per year, enough to keep its processing plant supplied between harvests.
Founded in 2019, Frico Agri has a monthly capacity of 20.8 tons of frozen fries, processing about 41.6 tons of potatoes. Internal reports show that since 2024, the company has faced two major bottlenecks: a shortage of high-quality seed potatoes for industrial processing and inadequate storage facilities. These challenges are linked to limited specialized potato cultivation and a lack of local expertise in varietal selection and post-harvest handling.
Frico Agri hopes to overcome these obstacles through the planned partnerships, though the signing dates and implementation timeline have yet to be announced.
Ronsard Luabeya
Grace Nkuanga Bilolo, governor of Kongo-Central province in the Democratic Republic of Congo, launched a road rehabilitation project on Oct. 25, 2025, aimed at improving the transport of farm goods to markets.
The project, which began in Kinzau Nvuete in Seke-Banza territory, covers 550 kilometers of rural feeder roads. The work will be carried out in stages, with the first phase focusing on 230 kilometers of priority routes over nine months.
The first phase, financed by the Agency for the Management of Toll and Weighing Rights (AGDP), will cost 3.85 billion Congolese francs (about $1.6 million), or roughly $7,000 per kilometer.
The launch phase includes the Kinzau-Mvuete, Seke-Banza, Mbatassiala, and Lombo-Fuese-Kilukweta sections, located in the Kasangulu and Mbanza-Ngungu territories. The Kongo-Central Public Works Agency will carry out the work.
Governor Bilolo unveiled new civil engineering equipment purchased with provincial funds to support the project. He said the initiative is part of a provincial program to better connect rural areas, aiming to ease the sale of farm produce and improve living standards in local communities.
The governor’s announcement follows a statement by former Rural Development Minister Muhindo Nzangi Butondo in October 2024, outlining a government plan to build and rehabilitate 11,000 kilometers of agricultural feeder roads across the DRC. It was not immediately clear whether the Kongo-Central project is part of that national initiative.
Ronsard Luabeya
Swiss agricultural commodity trader Mole Group signed a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on Sept. 30, 2025, for a vast agro-industrial project in Mbanza-Ngungu, Kongo Central province. The contract was signed by Mole Group Director General Grandi Mole and Agriculture Minister Muhindo Nzangi Butondo.
The agreement, expected for about one year now, is expected to complete the project’s structuring phase. Partners include Swiss firm Bühler, a specialist in agro-industrial machinery, and Belgian company De Smet Engineers & Contractors, known for turnkey plant construction. International financiers are also expected to join.
Mole said that secondary studies, to be carried out with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), will begin in October 2025. Construction is scheduled to start in the third quarter of 2026 and will take four years.
The project covers more than 105,000 hectares, including 85,000 cultivable, and will require about $1 billion in investment. Plans call for an agro-industrial park with modern infrastructure: communication towers, hangars, warehouses, silos, processing plants, and administrative offices. It will also include schools and phytosanitary laboratories.
Annual production targets stand at 650,000 tons of food products: 70,000 tons of wheat flour, 150,000 tons of sugar, 150,000 tons of corn flour, 20,000 tons of rice, and 260,000 tons of cassava flour. Local raw materials such as cassava, maize, wheat, rice, and sugarcane will be transformed into flour, refined sugar and ethanol.
Mole Group expects the initiative to generate more than 20,000 direct and indirect jobs, stimulating the rural economy. If achieved, it would mark a step toward reducing the DRC’s chronic food deficit and dependence on imports. According to the Central Bank of Congo, food imports cost the country nearly $1.79 billion annually between 2019 and 2023.
Ronsard Luabeya
Highlights:
• DRC launches $19M climate resilience project targeting 30,000 people in eastern provinces
• Global Environment Facility contributes $8.24M for sustainable agriculture on 15,000 hectares
• Initiative focuses on North Kivu, South Kivu, and Maniema with emphasis on women and youth entrepreneurship
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is rolling out a five-year climate adaptation program targeting its eastern regions. The $19 million "Resilient Growth and Adaptation to Climate Change" project aims to strengthen climate resilience in provinces plagued by both environmental degradation and ongoing conflict.
The Global Environment Facility's Least Developed Countries Fund is providing $8.24 million of the total budget, with the DRC government and other partners covering the remainder. The initiative will focus on North Kivu, South Kivu, and Maniema—three provinces with fragile forest ecosystems and high vulnerability to climate impacts.
The program plans to reach around 30,000 people, with women making up half the beneficiaries. It will prioritize agricultural resilience and community support, including assistance for indigenous peoples and Pygmy communities often marginalized in development programs.
Key activities include deploying sustainable farming practices across 15,000 hectares through improved seed distribution and training over 500 lead farmers. The training aims to help farmers cope with climate threats like droughts, floods, and unpredictable rainfall patterns that increasingly disrupt harvests.
Special attention will go to female and youth entrepreneurship through technical and financial support for agricultural processing and marketing ventures. This approach targets both immediate climate adaptation and longer-term economic opportunities in regions where alternatives to subsistence farming remain scarce.
The project aligns with the DRC's National Adaptation Plan and commitments under the Paris Agreement. Officials say it addresses root causes of vulnerability, including ecosystem breakdown, weak institutions, and limited economic prospects.
Success will depend heavily on security conditions in the eastern provinces, where armed groups continue to disrupt rural communities and development efforts.
Boaz Kabeya
Highlights:
• The FAO will help the DRC develop cassava into an industrial sector, especially for flour production.
• The partnership follows a high-level intercontinental forum co-hosted by Vietnam and the FAO in July 2025.
• Congolese authorities are urged to show clear budgetary and political commitment to integrate cassava into national economic planning.
The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) will help the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) industrialize cassava production to help boost employment and reduce hunger and poverty in the country. The announcement was made by the DRC’s Minister of Agriculture, Grégoire Mutshail Mutomb, according to Agence congolaise de presse (ACP).
The decision comes on the heels of the first edition of the High-Level Inter-regional Knowledge Exchange on One Country One Priority Product (OCOP) Models forum, co-organized by the FAO and the government of Vietnam from July 15 to 17, 2025, in Hanoi. Ministers of agriculture from 17 African and Asian countries attended the event, including the DRC.
According to Minister Mutshail, the FAO's support will focus primarily on developing cassava processing into bread flour, which can be blended with wheat flour to make bread. The specific terms of the cooperation have not yet been finalized. “We will have more meetings in the coming months. If all goes well, the next meeting could be held right here in the DRC,” the Congolese official noted.
The initiative adds momentum to existing efforts to industrialize the cassava sector and generate greater local value. In April 2023, the Congolese government adopted a plan to substitute 20% of wheat flour with cassava flour in bread-making, and to use 100% cassava flour in pastries, waffles, and pizzas. The move aimed to reduce the country’s wheat import bill—valued at $87 million per year—and rely less on imports from Russia and Ukraine.
However, progress remains uneven. A World Bank report published in September 2023 pointed to significant structural challenges that continue to weigh down the cassava value chain. These include excessive bureaucracy, high taxation, limited access to credit and land, and poor infrastructure, particularly in electricity and transportation.
In light of these challenges, Minister Mutshail emphasized the need for a strong budgetary commitment and political will from national authorities.
This article was initially published in French by Stéphanas Assocle
Edited in English by Ola Schad Akinocho
DRC’s Minister of External Trade Julien Paluku Kahongya announced that several Congolese agricultural products, including coffee and cocoa, will now enter the UK market duty-free. This decision follows a June 17, 2025 meeting with Kumar Iyer, the UK ambassador to the United Nations, the World Trade Organization (WTO), and other international organizations in Geneva.
"Certification and compliance bodies will oversee the implementation of this decision," Paluku Kahongya said. DRC exporters looking to ship agricultural goods to the UK must register with the Rural Payments Agency to get an import license. For fruits and vegetables, a certificate of conformity from UK authorities is also required. London stated that these procedures can be completed online.
This news comes amid a significant drop in DRC’s exports to the UK. Data from the International Trade Centre (ITC) shows that the value of goods imported from the DRC by the UK fell from $261.6 million in 2022 to just $12 million in 2024, a 95.4% decrease. No official reason has been provided for this decline.
In February, the Ministry of External Trade and the UK embassy in Kinshasa established a technical commission to speed up the signing of trade agreements aimed at boosting exports. Local media reported that discussions focused on a list of 62 priority products, though this list has not been made public.
The UK government noted that it introduced a preferential trade scheme for developing countries, including the DRC, in 2023. This scheme is part of its post-Brexit trade policy and offers reduced tariffs on 99% of goods from these nations, aiming to lower raw material import costs for British businesses.
This article was initially published in French by Timothée Manoke (Intern)
Edited in English by Mouka Mezonlin
Armed fighters from the M23 rebel group looted the Lemera tea factory in South Kivu’s Kalehe territory on June 6, in the latest blow to the region’s fragile agricultural economy. Backed by the Rwandan army, the group reportedly stole all production equipment, including agricultural and industrial machinery, according to Radio Okapi. The factory has since suspended all operations.
The Lemera plant, a remnant of the colonial era, had served as a key economic driver in the Kalehe and Kabare-Kabamba areas. It processed raw tea leaves for both domestic consumption and export, supporting nearly 100 families and offering stable income to smallholder growers. The factory also maintained specialized equipment for plantation upkeep—now lost to looting.
The shutdown adds to a broader crisis plaguing the tea industry in both North and South Kivu, where persistent insecurity has halted production at several facilities. In North Kivu, the once-thriving Ngeri Tea Gardens (JTN), spanning 450 hectares, are now abandoned. The site, which used to produce around 240 tonnes of tea annually, has also ceased operations due to repeated conflict-related disruptions.
This collapse comes at a critical moment for the Democratic Republic of Congo, which risks missing out on a projected boom in demand for eco-friendly tea. A 2024 report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) forecasts that U.S. and European demand for sustainably grown tea will rise by 8.4% and 6.6%, respectively, by 2026.
The DRC produced roughly 2,000 tonnes of tea in 2020, placing it 11th among African producers, according to the latest FAO data. However, without urgent measures to restore stability in its key agricultural zones, the country’s tea sector may be unable to seize this growing export opportunity.
This article was initially produced in French by Ronsard Luabeya, (intern)
Edited in English by Ola Schad Akinocho
At the May 30, 2025 Council of Ministers meeting, the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) reviewed a note from Portfolio Minister, Jean Lucien Bussa, regarding the resumption of activities at Triomf RDC SA, a mixed-economy company that manufactures chemical fertilizers.
According to meeting minutes, Bussa emphasized the need to secure adequate financing for investment, working capital, and cash flow to ensure a reliable supply chain and sustainable business relaunch. The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security is currently studying these financing options.
Triomf RDC was established in October 2013 through a public-private partnership between the Congolese state (30% stake) and South African company Africom Commodities Ltd (70%). The goal was to produce fertilizers locally to support the Congolese agricultural sector. The plant, located in Boma, Kongo Central province, was inaugurated in April 2017. When fully operational, it had an annual production capacity of 25,000 tonnes and employed around 2,000 people, with initial investments totaling US$50 million.
Despite a promising start, Triomf RDC faced challenges that led the firm to cease operations. A 2021 assessment by the Fonds de promotion de l'industrie (FPI) revealed a lack of funds to purchase essential inputs, forcing the company to produce fertilizers abroad for the Congolese market. The FPI recommended recapitalizing the investment to revitalize the project.
The Congolese government has since taken steps to relaunch Triomf’s activities. At the July 14, 2023 Council of Ministers meeting, President Félix Tshisekedi directed the Portfolio Minister to collaborate with other government members to develop a revival plan. In September 2024, Minister Bussa discussed the possibility of increasing the company's capital and amending its articles of association with a company delegation.
This article was initially published in French by Boaz Kabeya (intern)
Edited in English by Ola Schad Akinocho
Producers and intermediaries in North Kivu’s cocoa sector are increasingly turning to Uganda to sell their products through informal channels, seeking to optimize their marketing strategies.
On May 19, 2025, at least five tons of cocoa (118 bags) were intercepted by the sub-section of the Office national des produits agricoles du Congo (ONAPAC) in Beni, within the Ruwenzori sector (Beni territory). According to authorities, the cargo was being illegally exported to Uganda. This seizure forms part of ongoing efforts to combat fraud in the cocoa sector.
Commenting on the seizure, Kaswera Syvialeghana Alphonsine, Director of ONAPAC in Beni, said such operations aim to discourage illicit trafficking of cocoa, and coffee, in the region.
For several months, sector players have denounced numerous obstacles hindering official marketing channels and encouraging smuggling to neighboring countries. They highlight persistent insecurity in production zones, poor condition of farm roads, proliferation of roadblocks, high transportation costs, and the lack of product traceability in the DRC. These constraints, according to local exporters, hamper cocoa transport through formal channels and push many operators to turn to Uganda.
Congolese cocoa production is primarily concentrated in the eastern provinces, notably North Kivu, Ituri, and Tshopo. However, these regions are often attacked by armed groups–a situation that compromises producer security and severely disrupts the supply chain.
According to data from the Ministry of Foreign Trade, the DRC produced 100,000 tonnes of cocoa in 2024, far from the ambitious target of 3 million tonnes set for 2030.
This article was initially published in French by Ronsard Luabeya (intern)
Edited in English by Ola Schad Akinocho
On March 10, 2025, the price of a 25-liter drum of palm oil from Bandundu province surged by nearly 36%, climbing from 70,000 to 95,000 Congolese francs (CF) in Kinshasa markets. This sharp increase reflects a broader trend observed across the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
In Bunia, Ituri province, the price of a 20-liter can rose from CF60,000 to CF85,000 on March 4 a jump of 41%. Similarly, in Kikwit, Kwilu province, prices skyrocketed by 73% between January 15 and January 22, with a 25-liter drum rising from CF30,000 to CF52,000. Matadi, the capital of Kongo-Central, saw prices double in February, reaching CF60,000 for a 25-liter drum.
According to various media outlets quoting different sources, several factors are behind the price surge. Seasonal drought from January to March has significantly reduced palm oil production, particularly in northern provinces along the equator. At a February 5 meeting with the Minister of Agriculture, producers cited drought as one of the major challenges affecting plantations. Additionally, the advance of M23 rebels and their Rwandan allies in key production zones like North Kivu has disrupted supply chains and limited access to products.
The opening of new palm oil processing plants, such as Tshela, also boosted demand for palm nuts, subsequently exacerbating pressure on prices.
Despite its vast agricultural potential 60% of the DRC's estimated 280 million hectares are suitable for oil palm cultivation—the country struggles to meet domestic demand. By 2023, national consumption exceeded 500,000 tonnes annually, forcing palm oil to rank among the top five food imports. Kalaa Mpinga, Chairman of the FEC's National Agriculture and Forestry Commission, emphasized this gap in production capacity.
To address these challenges and boost production, the DRC plans to join the Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries (CPOPC) in 2025. Meanwhile, discrepancies in volume estimates highlight the need for better structuring within the sector.
This article was initially published in French by Boaz Kabeya (intern)
Edited in English by Ola Schad Akinocho
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Agricultural and agri-food exports from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) reached a record $433 million in 2024, according to a recent report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), which cited data from the Trade Data Monitor (TDM) platform. The figure compares with around $300 million in 2023 and less than $250 million in 2020.
While the report does not specify the exact factors behind this growth, it highlights that coffee and cocoa two of the DRC's top agricultural exports, and wood is the third saw substantial price increases in international markets last year.
The average annual price for Arabica rose to $4,099 per tonne in 2024, up 7.89% year-on-year. Robusta, which comprises over 70% of Congolese coffee production, reached an all-time high of $5,528 on November 28, 2024, closing the year with an average price of around $5,000 per tonne, up from approximately $2,400 at the start of 2024.
Cocoa prices also surged dramatically, climbing from $3,855 per tonne at the beginning of 2024 to $12,931 on the New York Stock Exchange by December 18 up by 172%.
Despite these impressive export figures, the USDA report indicates that the DRC remains in a trade deficit. Agricultural and food imports exceeded $1.9 billion in 2024, resulting in a deficit of about $1.46 billion. President Félix Tshisekedi noted in his State of the Nation address on December 11, 2024, that food imports cost the country approximately $3 billion annually.
This trade imbalance both strains the DRC's foreign currency reserves and highlights opportunities for developing local agricultural production to reduce reliance on imports. With over 80 million hectares of arable land available, there is considerable potential for growth in domestic agriculture.
According to TDM data for 2023, key food imports include palm oil, wheat, vegetables, meat, and dairy products. The DRC primarily sources food from the European Union, Zambia, Brazil, South Africa, and Namibia.
Espoir Olodo
The price of Arabica coffee, a key export for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), has surged on international markets. According to Reuters, As of February 12, 2025, Arabica futures were trading at approximately $4 per pound, or $8.80 per kilogram.
The surge is mainly attributed to rising transaction costs on the ICE exchange, where margins have been raised by 10% to $10,410 per contract nearly double what they were a year ago. As a result, many traders have liquidated their positions, further driving up prices.
The DRC's Ministry of Foreign Trade reported a 7.89% rise in the price of a kilogram of Arabica coffee on international markets. Between February 10 and 15, 2025, the price climbed to $7.38, up from $6.84 the previous week.
A study by the University of Liège in Belgium suggests that higher international coffee prices could benefit Congolese producers. However, the country’s eastern region, where most coffee is produced, is currently at the heart of conflicts opposing the Congolese army to invaders–M23 rebels and their Rwandan allies. The storm threatens the Arabica coffee-producing areas in North and South Kivu and Ituri. The invaders have already taken over Bukavu and Goma, the provincial capitals of South Kivu and North Kivu.
Beyond the conflict, the coffee sector grapples with numerous challenges including low productivity, deteriorating infrastructure, and rampant illegal exports. In Ituri province alone, over 80% of the coffee produced is clandestinely exported to neighboring countries, according to recent data from the Office National des Produits Agricoles du Congo (ONAPAC), limiting potential income for the DRC.
The country produced 12,422 tonnes of coffee in 2023, up from 10,729 tons in 2022. According to the data, disclosed by the Central Bank of Congo (BCC), Robusta made up over 70% of the output in 2023, and the rest was Arabica.
This article was initially published in French by Boaz Kabeya(intern)
Edited in English by Ola Schad Akinocho
Food prices have soared in Goma since M23 rebels and their Rwandan backers took over the town on January 26, 2025. A report by ActionAid published on February 3, indicated that essential goods, including flour, beans, and oil, have seen price increases of 18% to 160% within a week.
The road blockades, a key factor in the price surge, have disrupted food supplies to the city, nested in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). According to ActionAid, nearly 90% of Goma's food supply comes from neighboring regions now inaccessible due to the conflict.
A resident quoted by Radio Okapi reported improvements since February 4. “Roads reopened, and large quantities of food can come from Minova, Masisi, and Rutshuru.” The same source, however, added that household purchasing power has been diminished. “Banks are closed, several services are not operational, several shopkeepers have been looted and many residents reduced to unemployment,” the resident said.
The resulting food crisis threatens hundreds of thousands with malnutrition, with women and children at greatest risk. The World Food Programme (WFP) estimates that 4.5 million children under five and 3.7 million pregnant and breastfeeding women could suffer acute malnutrition in the next five months if things remain unchanged.
Olivier de Souza
The DR Congo government should promulgate its new agricultural and seed laws before the end of May 2025. President Félix Tshisekedi disclosed the timeframe in his State of the Nation address to Parliament on December 11, 2024. The laws will be accompanied by other measures to bolster agricultural governance in the country.
The additional measures will include an agricultural cadastre, land use plans, and a complete database of all stakeholders in the agricultural sector.
While no specific timeline for parliamentary adoption has been provided, observers are optimistic that these laws could improve the business environment for current and potential investors.
For years, stakeholders have criticized Article 16 of the 2011 Agricultural Law, which mandates that 51% of shares in commercial agricultural enterprises be held by nationals, against 49% by foreign investors. According to the World Bank, this measure could deter foreign investment in the agro-industrial sector.
The forthcoming seed law would be a major milestone in developing the DRC’s seed industry. Last October, the government announced plans to spend around $18 million to build a seed analysis laboratory and/or set up a national seed service by 2026.
This article was initially published in French by Espoir Olodo
Edited in English by Ola S. Akinocho