The provincial agroecology strategy for South Kivu was officially validated on Friday, October 31, 2025, during a workshop organized by the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and the Environment of the Evangelical University in Africa (UEA), in collaboration with the Congo Basin Conservation Society Network (CBCS-Network).
This strategic document, considered a true compass for agroecological action in the province, responds to a set of specifications developed in a participatory manner by stakeholders in the sector. It is structured around six major areas.
The six strategic areas:
1. Strengthening production systems and food sovereignty
– Promoting sustainable agricultural practices
– Enhancing and protecting smallholder seed systems
– Developing local value chains and territorialized markets
2. Sustainable management of natural resources and biodiversity
– Soil restoration
– Integrated water management
– Protection of forests and agricultural landscapes
3. Governance, institutional framework, and public policies
– Strengthening institutional coordination
– Implementation of public policies favorable to agroecology
4. Social inclusion, gender, and youth
– Active participation of women and young people
– Equitable access to resources
5. Research, innovation, and capitalization
– Development and dissemination of agroecological innovations
– Promotion of local knowledge
6. Climate change and resilience of agricultural systems
– Strengthening resilience to climate hazards
– Adaptation of agricultural practices
Ladislas Witanene, program officer at CBCS-Network, emphasized that this validation marks the final phase of a participatory development process. According to him, this document is essential to support the ecological transition and ensure sustainable management of natural resources in South Kivu.
He specified that the next step will be to mobilize the funds needed to implement the strategy. This document, now finalized, summarizes the analyses, orientations, and operational priorities that will guide the planning, execution, and monitoring of agroecological actions at the provincial level.
Professor Shakanye Ndjadi Serge, Dean of the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Environment at UEA, praised the commitment of the stakeholders who made the validation of this strategy possible. He expressed his satisfaction, stating that this document, although not unprecedented, is one of the most comprehensive strategic frameworks dedicated to agroecology in the region.
« This document is like a logbook. It responds to the major challenges identified: increasing pressure on forests and biodiversity, soil degradation, precarious food systems, the marginalization of farmers’ knowledge, and the fragmentation of actions, » he said.
Editorial team
