Favorable agroclimatologic conditions but a start of season B disrupted by conflicts

The start of season B in the north-eastern and central-eastern areas of the country, favored by rainfall predicted to be normal between March and May 2021, was timely. The sowing of the main food crops has started, including maize peanuts, and beans while the south-eastern unimodal zone begins the yearly harvest which will continue to be lower than normal, due to conflicts in the basins of production in the north-east of Haut Katanga.

There has been a 101% increase in the number of COVID-19 cases over the past 3 months according to figures from the Ministry of Health, to which is added the Ebola virus disease which has reappeared in North Kivu, with 11 cases recorded and 4 death. This situation remains worrying for the DRC and one could again expect negative effects on the household economy due to the probable strengthening of current restrictive measures in the DRC as in neighboring countries.

The ongoing escalation of violence in the eastern provinces has led to new population movements in the midst of the start of season B. According to OCHA, in March, 11,000 households in the Irumu territory have withdrawn. displaced in the localities of North Kivu fleeing the abuses of ongoing military operations. This situation presages difficult conditions for these displaced people who will not be able to participate in the agricultural activities of the current season and will not be able to claim the next harvests. They will depend on market purchases and daily labor to access food.

During the projection period which includes the small lean season in the north-east and the center-east of the country, after a less efficient agricultural season, the areas most affected by the conflict or the floods will remain in Crisis (Phase 3 of the IPC) including Ituri, South Kivu, North Kivu, Tanganyika and southern Kasai. The provinces of Lomami, Sankuru, Kasaï Oriental, ex-Katanga which are post-conflict zones will remain in stress (IPC Phase 2) while Haut-Uele, Bas-Uélé, Tshopo, relatively calm, will be in a situation minimum (IPC Phase 1).