Communal farming helps families start again

DRC | 2024 | CBPF

Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kwamouth. Tantine and her family had no choice but to flee their village one evening in August 2022, when their peaceful life turned into a nightmare.

As she cooks a simple meal of cassava leaves and a bit of fish, she worries that, “This stew has neither salt nor oil. We are living a difficult life… we have nothing now.”

Tantine, her husband and their children were forced to leave their village in Western Democratic Republic of Congo, following a brutal attack by armed men. She remembers: "We walked for three days in the wilderness with nothing to eat; my children were exhausted."

At that time, she had just undergone abdominal surgery that required medical rest. Despite this, she had to endure the long walk, which worsened the wound infection. Now, more than two years later, she still has not healed.

Settling in Kwamouth, the family had hoped for a safe haven. But the reality was stark. They received a decent shelter, built with support from the non-governmental organization ADSSE (*Association pour le dévelopement social et la sauvegarde de l’environnement) and funding from the DRC Humanitarian Fund (DRC HF); but they still had to struggle every day to get food and healthcare.

The DRC HF is committed to supporting agricultural projects that help displaced people with dignity. Tantine’s family joined a collective agriculture project, which is introducing new methods to grow local crops.

Her neighbour, Mwana Léontine, arrived in Kwamouth over a year ago, and was eager to find new ways to support her children. For her and others, this initiative was more than just aid; it represented a lifeline, a chance to reclaim stability and hope.

Every morning, Léontine and her fellow displaced families head to the community fields, established by Goma-based NGO ABCOM, to tend to new crops like cowpeas and peanuts, which promise to mature in less than four months.

“We will be happy very soon,” she declares. “When you come back in a few weeks, you will see us overflowing with cowpeas and peanuts!”

Fazili Banyene, an agronomist with ABCOM, explained the project’s transformative nature: “We’ve introduced crops adapted to our climate. Communities are beginning to change their planting habits and diversify the crops they plant.” This initiative goes beyond agriculture: it lays the groundwork for sustainable change and food autonomy, instilling people’s confidence in the future.

(*Association for social development and environmental protection)

Posted May 2025.

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Based on an original story from OCHA