• DRC secures $3.1 million UK funding for agricultural SMEs
• Program to support 5,000 farmers, including women-led businesses
• Initiative targets financing gaps, aims to boost productivity and jobs

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has secured £2.3 million (about $3.1 million) in funding from the United Kingdom to support small and medium-sized agricultural enterprises.

The British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office provided the funding in partnership with the International Finance Corporation (IFC). The agreement, signed on April 16, aims to improve access to financing and equipment for at least 5,000 farmers and agribusinesses. The four-year program also targets more than 300 women-owned small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Malick Fall, IFC country manager, said the initiative aims to generate economic impact by creating jobs and strengthening agricultural value chains in the DRC. Agriculture accounts for nearly 21% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), but the sector suffers from chronic underfunding.

According to the IFC, the SME financing gap reached about 27% of GDP in 2024, representing more than $11 billion. This gap continues to hinder farm modernization and infrastructure development.

To address this, Congolese authorities plan to increase public investment and attract more private capital. Under its priority investment program for 2025–2028, the government plans to allocate about $265 million to research, production improvements and the development of rural agricultural areas. Over the longer term, the country aims to mobilize $6.6 billion over ten years under its Agriculture Transformation Program (PTA).

Private sector initiatives are also emerging to support agricultural mechanization and improve access to equipment. This comes as the DRC continues to import nearly $2 billion worth of food each year, despite significant agricultural potential, including around 80 million hectares of arable land and four million hectares of irrigable land.

Sandrine Gaingne