Democratic Republic of Congo - Emergency Food Production Project (PURPA)

This intervention concerns the Emergency Food Production Project (PURPA). It’s designed in response to the persistent food insecurity attributable to various factors, including the instability in the east of the country (over 5 million displaced people) and the very high defect of rural transport and communication infrastructure, which seriously handicaps the evacuation of agricultural products, and more recently the impacts of COVID-19 and the war in Ukraine, all being aggravating factors to an already difficult situation. It is in keeping with Government's effort to boost production by restoring seed capital and promoting inclusive development by providing smallholders with adequate means of production to improve farm productivity and output. The project will promote the availability of pre-basic and basic seeds (maize, rice and cassava) at the local structures under supervision, the use of improved seeds on a large scale and the dissemination of best practice to increase productivity and output. Its main components are: (i) support to agricultural production; (ii) support to access to inputs and financing; and (iii) coordination and management of the project.