Kinshasa Farmers Battle Concrete & Poor Soil

Farmers in Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of Congo's capital, are grappling with severe challenges in producing enough food for the city's 17 million inhabitants. Agricultural land surrounding the city is rapidly being converted into housing due to real estate speculation, shrinking the available farming areas. This urban sprawl, coupled with naturally poor soil quality in the Kimwenza Valley, makes cultivation extremely difficult.

The region's sandy soils have a low capacity for retaining water and organic matter, a common issue in the Congo River basin. Small-scale farmers often lack the resources to purchase essential tools, chemical fertilizers, or insecticides. Furthermore, they face stiff competition from inexpensive imported food products, which flood the market and depress local revenues, exacerbating the food insecurity crisis affecting millions.

Despite these obstacles, there is a growing effort to improve soil fertility through organic fertilizers, such as compost and chicken manure. Pilot farms are demonstrating success in transforming infertile land into productive plots. However, these methods require training and support for widespread adoption, with soil transformation taking approximately two years to become suitable for various vegetable crops.