Under the patronage of the Ministry of Agriculture, IITA–CGIAR launched the “Cassava Value Chain Development Project in the Democratic Republic of the Congo” in Kinshasa. The USAID-funded project is meant to strengthen and further structure the organization of the cassava sector in the DRC.
The cassava value chain in the DRC has not yet reached its full potential. However, the crop is important for ensuring food security because of its resilience to climate change, high temperatures, and impoverished soils.
To optimize cassava’s benefit, particularly its huge industrial potential, it is imperative to strengthen the capacities of involved stakeholders and organize the exploration of the value chain to create greater opportunities. This strategy aligns with the DRC Government’s vision to maximize the economic impact of agriculture.
This vision underpins the Agenda for the Transformation of Agriculture in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (ATA-DRC), a program implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture with technical assistance from IITA and the African Agricultural Leadership Institute (AALI).