Support for agricultural cooperatives in the Haut-Uelé and Bas-Uelé districts of Dungu-Donoma

The first part of the project, which ran from 2014 to 2015, included a training course in agri-food techniques to increase farmers’ production and develop a more eco-sustainable approach.

The courses involved 120 people between Dungu (Haut-Uelé) and Poko (Bas-Uelé), including 40 women and 80 men.

Due to some difficulties, the project had to be blocked and only resumed in 2022.

The second phase, which will develop from September 2022 to September 2023, involves putting into practice what was learned during the training.

The first months are dedicated to a brief theoretical update and then focus on the actual agricultural program. Thanks also to the purchase of small work equipment and seeds/plants, young farmers will be able to apply the new techniques, observing improvements in production from both a qualitative and quantitative point of view.

During the second phase, a program for the production of honey was also introduced, including the self-manufacturing of hives. To date, honey is simply collected in the forest, identifying bee nests from time to time, without any protection and with “traditional” techniques. Thanks to the project, training in beekeeping and honey production has begun which will improve production, respecting the bees and reducing the risks for producers.

The training program pays great attention to the topic of environmental respect and sustainability. Local agriculture, in fact, although aimed at very limited production, is causing pollution and deforestation. Thanks to the project we want to interrupt this vicious circle which would only lead to destroying the environment, impoverishing the territory and its inhabitants. Also thanks to the support of Pope Francis’ encyclical “Laudato Si”, a process of raising awareness on the topic of environmental respect and sustainable economy will be promoted.