Two United Nations (UN) agencies have warned that the food security situation in DR Congo remains dire with one in three people suffering from acute hunger. To mention, the UN agencies are: the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP).

According to the latest Integrated Phase Classification (IPC) analysis, the number of people affected by high acute food insecurity in DR Congo is estimated at 27.3 million. This is equivalent to one in three people being highly food insecure. Out of the estimation above, nearly seven million people are also grappling with emergency levels of acute hunger. Some have been surviving by eating only taro, a root that grows wild, or only cassava leaves boiled in water.

“For the first time, we were able to analyze the vast majority of the population; and this has helped us to come closer to the true picture of the staggering scale of food insecurity in DR Congo.

“This country should be able to feed its population and export a surplus. We cannot have children going to bed hungry and families skipping meals for an entire day.”
Peter Musoko, WFP’s representative in DR Congo.

According to the UN agencies, conflict remains a key cause of hunger in the country. Other key factors compounding this crisis include the slump in DR Congo’s economy and the socio-economic impact of COVID-19.

“The recurring conflicts in eastern DRC and the suffering they bring remain of great concern. Social and political stability is essential to strengthen food security and boost the resilience of vulnerable populations.”
Aristide Ongone Obame, FAO Representative in DR Congo.

Specifically, the most affected populations are mainly the displaced, refugees, returnees, host families and those affected by natural disasters, among others.

Call for urgent intervention to scale up support

The latest IPC analysis proves that the central African country is in urgent need of food security assistance in the world. Thus, FAO and WFP are calling for urgent intervention to scale up support to Congolese in the crisis area.

Meanwhile, FAO is focusing on increasing households’ access to tools and seeds; providing quality livestock, which plays a key role in improving nutrition; supporting food processes and storage; and also helping small farmers in the fight against animal and plant diseases.

Moreover, FAO aims to provide life-saving livelihood assistance to 1.1 million people in areas affected by high acute food insecurity.

As part of its famine prevention work, WFP is also providing life-saving food to 8.7 million people in DR Congo. In addition, WFP needs notably $5.5 billion to be able to continue its work in the prevention and treatment of malnutrition, which affects 3.3 million children in DR Congo.

In a move towards a longer-term solution, FAO and WFP are investing in resilience-building projects that support community farming to boost yields, reduce losses and spur access to markets. As a result, these projects will help communities build their lives and create a pathway to peace.