Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kingabwa Rice Intensification Project I

Kingabwa Rice Intensification Project (2011-2014)

Donors:

USAID, Common Fund for Commodities, Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bralima Foundation

Partners:

Winrock (lead), BATIDE, Kingabwa Farmers Association and Cooperative

Goal

The Kingabwa Rice Intensification Project (PIRK) project, a three year project designed to contribute to improve the level of food security and living standards of people who cultivate rice in the Pool Malebo area of Kinshasa by a quantitative and qualitative increase in rice production, through the development of the Kingabwa perimeter.

What We Do

Winrock International, in collaboration with EUCORD, submitted a Global Development Alliance (GDA) proposal to USAID to seek funds for the development of an area of 700 ha of unused swampland on the outskirts of Kinshasa. USAID contributed USD 891,353, CFC USD 120,000 and Bralima Foundation USD 270,000, while the Netherlands’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs provided USD 756,412 in co-financing for a duration of three years. By converting the Kingabwa swamp into productive irrigated rice farms, the area provides sustained income to some of the of the poorest families in Kinshasa, while contributing to the urban food security in the DRC.

Accomplishments

The project, which started in May 2011, assisted 1,979 rural households, expanded the irrigated area to 561 hectares, increased average rice yield from 2.2 to 3.2 MT/ha and generated rice sales worth over USD 800,000. The project organized a Regional Rice Roundtable Workshop in May 2014 to: 1) Review the current state of rice value chains in Africa and DRC; 2) Identify key constraints and opportunities for rice value chain development; and 3) Provide recommendations to policy makers on sustainable rice value chain development. The workshop was lauded by the Ministry of Agriculture representative for its contributions to developing a national rice development strategy.