In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the parliament is reviewing the draft of the 2025 finance bill. During the bill’s presentation to the deputies, Congolese Prime Minister, Judith Suminwa noted a 13% increase in the budget for agriculture. "There is a 13% increase in resources for agriculture," she said.

For now, it is not known if the increase will apply only to agricultural production or if it will also cover inputs purchase, building storage and processing infrastructure, and transport routes.

In her budget guidance letter to government members, PM Suminwa said the resources allocated to agriculture should help increase the sector’s share to 10% of gross domestic product (GDP), in line with the Maputo Convention. The official stressed the importance of considering the entire value chain and maintaining and constructing 10,000 kilometers of agricultural roads across the country.

The Ministry of Agriculture is one of seven ministries eligible for results-based budget management with program budgets. The Ministry of Rural Development as well.

From 2024 to 2026, these two ministries will receive 7,316 billion Congolese francs (around $2.6 billion). The government's ability to effectively use these funds for agricultural development will be crucial. Although recent reports from the Minister of Finance highlighted some efforts, challenges remain, such as high wage expenditures and the need to improve actual payment processes.

Compared to 24, the draft finance bill for 2025 proposes a 21% budget increase, bringing total resources and expenditures to 49,847 billion Congolese francs (just over $18 billion). To meet these goals, the government plans to enhance tax revenue collection and benefit from higher commodity prices to increase royalties.

Georges Auréole Bamba