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The Democratic Republic of the Congo has the world’s highest number of people in acute food insecurity. Without urgent assistance, about one-quarter of the population is projected to be in IPC Phase 3 or above (Crisis or worse) by June 2025, with 80 percent residing in rural areas. The country also has the second-highest number of internally displaced people in Africa, primarily due to armed conflict in the eastern provinces. Emergency agricultural interventions provide cost-effective solutions for vulnerable communities to quickly produce nutritious food. For example, with just 50 g of quality seeds, a household can harvest up to 250 kg of vegetables in just four weeks, worth USD 480.
Urgency of humanitarian agricultural assistance
The humanitarian situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo remains dire, with a 9-percent increase in the number of people in acute food insecurity compared with the same period last year. Ongoing armed conflict and intercommunal violence, particularly in the eastern provinces, severely impact livelihoods, triggering the widespread displacement of millions of people and disrupting food production.
The lack of basic infrastructure, particularly roads, hinders economic development, agricultural activities and the transport of goods to markets, leading to food shortages and driving up prices. Economic shocks such as inflation further exacerbate the situation and weaken households’ purchasing power. This means that even when food is available, many families are unable to afford it.
In addition, recurring epidemics and disease outbreaks, including measles, cholera and Mpox, as well as natural disasters such as floods and drought, further strain already vulnerable populations.
As the challenges affecting the country are expected to continue in 2025, including escalating insecurity in North Kivu triggering additional widespread displacement, providing vulnerable households with timely emergency agricultural support is fundamental to the humanitarian response.