Agriculture News.

[Newcongo]

Un projet pour intensifier la production de riz à Kinshasa
novembre 18, 2011, sous Économie, Kinshasa.

Envoyer par e-mail | Mots clés: Agriculture, Kingabwa, Riz



Le Projet d’intensification rizicole de Kingabwa (PIRK) a été lancé jeudi 17 novembre à Kinshasa. Le but de ce projet financé par le gouvernement congolais, l’Agence américaine de développement (USAID) et l’entreprise brassicole Bralima est d’accroître la production de riz sur le site de production de Kingabwa. L’espace de culture aménagé devrait passer de 750 à 1500 hectares et le nombre de ménages qui dépendent de cette activité de 650 à 1500.

Selon des responsables de l’USAID, ce projet apporte une assistance technique en :

améliorant l’aménagement du périmètre de culture
formant les paysans
garantissant une débouché pour les producteurs
Le coût global du projet qui s’étend sur trois ans est estimé à 2 millions de dollars américains.

La Bralima s’est engagée à racheter la production des paysans à des prix concurrentiels en espérant que le surplus sera déversé sur le marché.

Selon le ministre provincial de l’agriculture, la ville de Kinshasa a besoin de 50 000 tonnes de riz blanc pour sa consommation annuelle.

Il a indiqué que la production de tous les sites du Pool Malebo avoisine actuellement 2 000 tonnes de riz.

Selon la même source, s’ils sont mis en valeur, ces sites produiraient au moins 30 000 tonnes par an et couvriraient plus de 50% de besoins de la capitale qui consommerait 40% des importations de riz du pays.

[Newcongo]

http://radiookapi.net/economie/2011/...-riz-kinshasa/

This project should be done all over the country especially in the east

[BUTEMBO21]

Nice little thing.

A smart governor would turn Maluku district into a formidable Industrial agriculture.

[Newcongo]

You are spot on Butembo just if

[preme3000]

Feronia completes largest single rice planting in Congo

Feronia’s arable farming division, Feronia PEK SARL, has completed the planting of 1,200 hectares of rice.

Feronia Arable holds a 10,000 hectare concession in the Bas-​Congo province of the Democratic Republic of Congo, approximately 200km from both the deep water ports of Boma and Matadi and the national capital, Kinshasa.

The company has cleared 2,000 hectares of land and planted NERICA-​4 and 7 variety rice on 1,200 hectares using a Weaving Drill. The operations at Feronia Arable are fully mechanised using John Deere and Massey Ferguson tractors.

This crop is expected to be harvested and processed in February, 2012. After the rice is harvested Feronia Arable anticipates re-​planting the land with edible beans with harvesting anticipated in May, 2012.

Feronia COO, Raymond Batanga, said: “This is an exciting milestone for Feronia’s arable farming operations. We have proven that we can source all the necessary inputs and equipment and mobilise the required expertise to implement large scale mechanised farming in the DRC. While we had planned to reach 2,000 ha on our first large scale planting, a delay in the arrival of our large horsepower tractors meant that our larger drills were not utilised throughout the entire sowing period and fewer hectares were sown.

“We are confident that this will not be an issue in our next rice planting season and are pleased to have completed the largest single rice planting in DRC — a huge milestone for Feronia’s arable operations.”

Source: Feronia Rebecca Prescott1 Dec 2011

[BUTEMBO21]

Kinshasa should be able to feed itself in Rice. Maluku should be able to feed Kin and Congo Brazza in Vegetables, Potatoes, Fruits, corn.

Kinshasa is 9,500 km2.

Only 2,500 km2 is occupied leaving 7,000 km2 empty.

-1 km2 = 100 Hectares.

- 1000 km2 = 100,000 Hectares.

Only 3,000 km2 (300,000 Hectares ) can feed all Kin and it sister Capital neighbor across the Mighty River. and still have 4,000 km2 empty.

Kokamwa.

[Broda-Man]

La loi agricole enfin promulguée par le Chef de l'Etat



Bonne nouvelle pour tous les agriculteurs et paysans congolais. La Loi portant principes généraux relatifs au secteur agricole a été enfin promulguée par le Chef de l'Etat le 24 décembre dernier. Ce « code agricole » qui était très attendu par les opérateurs agricoles, entre en vigueur le 24 juin 2012.

Pour la toute première fois de son histoire, la République démocratique du Congo se dote d'une loi agricole. Celle-ci va devoir apporter bien d'innovations dans ce secteur combien vital pour le social des Congolais. A savoir : la création d'un fonds de développement agricole et sa gestion en synergie avec les institutions financières bancaires et non bancaires ; et l'implication des agriculteurs et des professionnels du secteur agricole dans le processus décisionnel. Ce qui justifie la création du Conseil consultatif aussi bien au niveau national, provincial que locale.

Le code agricole permettra également la prise en compte des exigences des instruments internationaux relatifs à la conservation et à l'utilisation des ressources phylogénétiques ; et de la protection de l'environnement. On attend également de cette loi, le renforcement du mécanisme de surveillance des terres destinées à l'exploitation agricole et le suivi de la production, et l'institution d'une procédure de conciliation préalable à toute action judiciaire en matière de conflits de terres agricoles.

En effet, cette loi agricole avait été renvoyée en seconde lecture au Parlement par le Président de la République en août 2011 pour plus de restrictions dans l'octroi des terres agricoles aux étrangers. Ce, en renforçant son article 16 alinéa 2 sur les conditions d'attribution des terres agricoles en RDC. Pour le Chef de l'Etat, il fallait des restrictions substantielles sur les acquisitions des terres agricoles par des entités étrangères, et préciser l'impératif pour des nationaux de contrôler l'actionnariat des personnes morales.

Entre autres restrictions, il faut : être une personne physique de nationalité congolaise ou une personne morale de droit congolais dont les parts sociales ou les actions, selon le cas, sont majoritairement détenues par l'Etat congolais et/ou par les nationaux ; avoir une résidence, un domicile ou un siège social connu en RDC ; présenter la preuve de son inscription au registre de commerce, s'il s'agit d'une personne exerçant le commerce ; justifier de la capacité financière susceptible de supporter la charge qu'implique la mise en valeur de la concession ; Produire une étude d'impact environnemental et social. La commission paritaire des deux chambres du Parlement, mise en place, avait réexaminé la proposition de loi en y apportant des amendements nécessaires. Notamment, à l'article 16 qui porte sur les conditions que tout exploitant doit remplir pour l'acquisition des terres agricoles et leur mise en valeur.

Il sied de rappeler que le ministre de l'Agriculture, Pêche et Elevage, M. Norbert Basengezi Katintima avait décidé que pour cette année 2012, les efforts du gouvernement seront plus essentiellement focalisés à l'industrialisation agricole. Sur ce, il a déjà annoncé la libération incessamment de toutes les 1798 plantations que comptent le pays. Celles-ci, a dit le ministre, seront disponibles à des souscripteurs qui devront les reprendre et les cultiver et même en créer d'autres. La loi est promulguée, mais ce qui reste à faire avant son application est la vulgarisation et les mesures d'applications qui doivent être élaborées par la commission mise en place par le Ministre qui ne fonctionne pas encore.

*



Lepetit Baende
Kinshasa, 14/01/2012 (L'Avenir, via mediacongo.net)

[litho]

Originally Posted by BUTEMBO21

Kinshasa should be able to feed itself in Rice. Maluku should be able to feed Kin and Congo Brazza in Vegetables, Potatoes, Fruits, corn.

Kinshasa is 9,500 km2.

Only 2,500 km2 is occupied leaving 7,000 km2 empty.

-1 km2 = 100 Hectares.

- 1000 km2 = 100,000 Hectares.

Only 3,000 km2 (300,000 Hectares ) can feed all Kin and it sister Capital neighbor across the Mighty River. and still have 4,000 km2 empty.

Kokamwa.

Kinshasa was not plan to feed itself as you say, Kinshasa was plan to be a industrialise city. When we were growing up, it was interdict to have bilanga in your house, in my commune Barumbu every first Tuesday of month people from commune will come to check everything if you are in order.

Kongo Central and Bandundu were plan to feed Kin; Belge did reserved land in KC and BDD for anyone who wants to have bilanga. In KC they have Kimpese, they a large land over there.

Mobutu, come change everything he didn’t even know what he was doing, he transformed N’sele to big bilanga. I think we all know what follow was after that ridiculous thinking by Mobutu.

[carelk]

How save is it in the drc after the elections, can tourists go there ?

[Broda-Man]

Originally Posted by carelk

How save is it in the drc after the elections, can tourists go there ?

Depends on where you want to go.

[BUTEMBO21]

Originally Posted by litho

Kinshasa was not plan to feed itself as you say, Kinshasa was plan to be a industrialise city. When we were growing up, it was interdict to have bilanga in your house, in my commune Barumbu every first Tuesday of month people from commune will come to check everything if you are in order.

Kongo Central and Bandundu were plan to feed Kin; Belge did reserved land in KC and BDD for anyone who wants to have bilanga. In KC they have Kimpese, they a large land over there.

Mobutu, come change everything he didn’t even know what he was doing, he transformed N’sele to big bilanga. I think we all know what follow was after that ridiculous thinking by Mobutu.

Mobutu was a comedien. He didn't want Kin agriculture, but built Domaine de la N'Sele.

And he didn't want to build roads . i wonder what he was thinking Kin and the country was going to be fed.


Anyways. A new Capital must be built and leave Kin alone to stand on it own feet.

[Karavia]

Ferme Mangombo




La ferme Mangombo au Katanga produit environ 250 000 tonnes de maïs par an. Elle appartient à la GDK ( Gécamines Développement Katanga), que l'encadrement est européen, utilisation d'un matériel ultra moderne, des engrais et semences etc... La récolte est confiée aux minoteries Kakontwe qui ravitaille les agents Gécamines.

[BUTEMBO21]

^ I can't view the video, but the country must make fast , i mean really fast development in this industry.

The agriculture must be revived and to surpass the 1970s level. like 10 times greater than the 1970s. That alone could cut poverty that is reigning on the country.

Corn: 10 million Tonnes/year.
Cotton: At least 4 million T/year.
Rice: 5 million tonnes/year.
Palm Oil: 5 million T/year.
Soybean: 5 million T/y.
Wheat: 2 million T/y.
Sugar: 10 million T/y.


At least.

[preme3000]

Land-grab fears take hold in Congo

Prospect of Mugabe-style seizure of foreign-owned assets looks increasingly likely in country where two thirds live in poverty
Published: 2012/03/06 09:13:41 AM

Jonny Hogg

A LAW meant to breathe new life into agriculture in Democratic Republic of Congo risks scaring off needed foreign investment due to a clause calling for farms to be majority-owned by Congolese, according to investors and other sector players. The Congolese Federation of Enterprises has written a letter to the government calling the law, which is set to go into effect in June, "discriminatory" and a "catastrophe" and appealing for it to be amended.

"Everyone says to themselves, today they start with semi-nationalisation, and then one day we’ll move to total nationalisation," said Paulin Mbandala, a Congolese lawyer specialising in agriculture.

"Look at Zimbabwe, that’s the problem," he said, referring to Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe’s seizure of white-owned farms from 2000.

The Congolese law, passed in December shortly after a chaotic presidential poll, aims to use tax breaks and other incentives to boost agricultural output in a country with enough cultivable land to cover Germany twice.

Only 10% of the land is in use and the country has been a net food importer since the 1960s due to decades of neglect, conflict and corruption. Farmers and activists had been pushing for years for the government to pass the agricultural law to revive the sector.

Since the law’s passage, however, agribusiness companies have expressed concern over an article that says farms must be owned by "a person of Congolese nationality or a Congolese legal entity whose shares, if applicable, are majority-owned by the Congolese state or by nationals".

The risk is that the law could deepen Congo’s investment woes, already suffering a setback from a drawn-out mining contract review that ended in 2010.

Several of Congo’s existing agricultural investors, including a unit of Canada’s Feronia, said the law has created uncertainty over their projects and would likely stifle new investment.

New investments are unlikely if the law is not amended, says Agnes Kasongo, MD of PHC, an oil palm operation majority-owned by Feronia. The company produced more than 6500 tons of palm oil last year and had plans to double the amount of land it cultivates.

"I don’t think that Feronia will invest further if the law is not amended," Ms Kasongo says in her office in Kinshasa’s dilapidated port area, where farmed produce used to arrive by river from the interior of the country before several wars during the 1990s and corruption saw the sector collapse.

"I don’t understand the law (article 16). The Congolese do not have money to acquire the land."

Officials from several other companies have said they would reconsider their investment plans, but asked not to be identified for fear of running into problems with the government. A western diplomat, who also asked not to be named, says three potential investors have abandoned investment plans since the law was passed.

Congo’s government has defended the law — which offers tax breaks and preferential rates on water and electricity for agricultural enterprises — as broadly positive for the sector, but admits the article 16 clause on ownership could pose problems for foreign investors.

"Congo could feed the whole of Africa, that’s certain, but we must have investment", says Marcel Kapambwe Nyombo, an agricultural ministry adviser. "(Article 16) poses a problem. Among new investors there is a certain reticence."

About a third of the country’s food was imported in 2010 from as far away as Brazil, and more than two-thirds of the country’s 70-million inhabitants are living in poverty, the World Bank says.

A letter written by President Joseph Kabila last August shows that the president himself backs the rules limiting foreign ownership, arguing it is necessary to protect the sovereignty of Congolese land.

"I ask that the imperative is made clear, that nationals control the shareholdings of Congolese-registered businesses eligible to be attributed land in Democratic Republic of Congo," it reads.

In one of the biggest deals in Congo’s agriculture sector, China’s ZTE won rights in 2008 to farm 100000ha of land in Equateur province. But the three-year deal was not renewed last year as nothing had been done to launch the project, agriculture adviser Mr Kapambwe says. ZTE now holds just 600ha of land. The firm did not respond to requests for comment.

Singapore commodities giant Olam is also negotiating with the government over possible farming ventures. The company declined to comment on the law.

Reuters

[preme3000]

The priotities remain

1)Security
2)Food Self sufficiency

[preme3000]

Would be interesting to hear views on the above article, where Congoese have to be majority owners?

Land is very sensitive, especially in the developing world. In fact, we can say in every part of the world, for example, the EU and USA use huge amounts of money to make sure agriculture is alive and kicking and competetive.

[lipua]

Originally Posted by preme3000

Would be interesting to hear views on the above article, where Congoese have to be majority owners?

Land is very sensitive, especially in the developing world. In fact, we can say in every part of the world, for example, the EU and USA use huge amounts of money to make sure agriculture is alive and kicking and competetive.

It is true that land is a very sensitive issue.
Africa has to be very careful in land policies......as we see recently ongoing land grabbing by Foreigners.........I believe if we do not cap land distribution,we will end up in NEO-COLONISATION.

[Pius]

Originally Posted by preme3000

Would be interesting to hear views on the above article, where Congoese have to be majority owners?

Land is very sensitive, especially in the developing world. In fact, we can say in every part of the world, for example, the EU and USA use huge amounts of money to make sure agriculture is alive and kicking and competetive.

It is unfortunate that, for some undecipherable reason, certain Western media are so biased when it comes to reporting about the DRC. A half-full glass in the DRC will always be regarded as an empty one.

Although not perfect, this law is the best the DRC has come up with since independence. The so-called Bakajika Law from 1966 that stipulated that Congolese soil could not be owned by foreigners was still in force in 2006 as the new constitution (article 9) confirmed and strengthened it. By passing the new law, the government tried to allay foreign investors’ fears by allowing co-ownership, albeit limited to minority share joint ventures. Granted, the law did not go far enough, but its intention was clearly not to harm investors’ interests. Therefore I find such heading as “Prospect of Mugabe-style seizure of foreign-owned assets looks increasingly likely in country where two thirds live in poverty” totally unjustified and ill-intentioned. Have assets of those who already invested in the country before the law was passed been confiscated?

What should the DRC do allow for a rational and profitable exploitation of its soil?
First of all, selling the soil to foreigners is a dangerous proposition; I would not like to see the DRC follow Kenya’s example, where Kenyan are almost foreigners on their own soil. Many countries, among which Brazil, have similar laws to the DRC’s and this has not constituted an obstacle to their development, on the contrary.
But since the Congolese do not have the capital and the know-how to exploit their soil effectively, foreign input is necessary and can be attracted through granting long-term renewable concessions (50 to 100 years). In the meantime, the government must empower the Congolese themselves by putting capital at their disposal.

[lipua]

Originally Posted by Pius

....Although not perfect, this law is the best the DRC has come up with since independence. The so-called Bakajika Law from 1966 that stipulated that Congolese soil could not be owned by foreigners was still in force in 2006 as the new constitution (article 9) confirmed and strengthened it.

Pius, I believe it is perfect.

Originally Posted by Pius

First of all, selling the soil to foreigners is a dangerous proposition; I would not like to see the DRC follow Kenya’s example, where Kenyan are almost foreigners on their own soil.

Not only Kenya, it is spreading all over Africa.

For example Ethiopia,Tanzania,Uganda.....They are coming with new religion of GLOBALIZATION,LIBERALIZATION .....In fact this is pure neo colonisation.

There are places now in Ethiopia,Tanzania etc... whereby natives are called trespassers......... We have to protect our land or we will end up like Aborigines or Indians

[MotoPamba]

Neocolonization is not happening now. it already happened a long time ago. Pius made a good point about western media bias. Thats what they do best. They buy public opinion. The DRC govt decisions are made in part with the approval of Brussels. Congo govt cannot over ride IMF or World Bank as we clearly saw with the Congolese - Sino deal. If today Belgium was gonna have a referendum in COngo and asked people to join the Kingdom of Belgium (physical recolonization) for a chance to have improved life standards, good education, opportunity and jobs, Im sure a lot of Congolese would vote yes As was the case with Mayyote which is now a department of france.