Agricultural season begins following the deterioration of the security and humanitarian situation in the east

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In the provinces of Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu, the lean season began early due to the intensification and territorial expansion of conflict in the eastern part of the country in early 2025. Although many internally displaced persons (IDPs) have returned — some even forcibly — to their places of origin, they lost access to their typical sources of income for several months. The IDPs will face difficulties meeting their minimum food needs before the green harvest in December, as their coping capacity has been eroded by repeated forced displacements. In conflict zones where security conditions remain volatile and humanitarian access is most restricted — Lubero, Walikale, Djugu, Walungu, Massisi, and Uvira territories — IDPs will likely be unable to avoid food consumption gaps due to very limited access to fields and wild foods. Food assistance needs are expected to be higher and rise more rapidly than last year until the harvest in January 2026.
In particular, Lubero is facing a highly concerning humanitarian and security situation. This territory lies on the frontlines of two conflicts: one between M23 and the Congolese Armed Forces (FARDC), and another between the Allied Democractic Forces (ADF) terrorists and the FARDC, supported by the Ugandan army (UPDF). Additionally, various local armed groups are active in the territory, committing abuses against the local population. In September 2025, over 100 people were killed by ADF fighters during an attack at a funeral vigil. These acts of violence against civilians continue to drive displacement. The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) estimates that around 170,000 people have been newly displaced in this territory during a critical phase of the agricultural season (the planting period), putting their crop production at risk if security conditions do not allow households to return in time to resume farming activities.
In the central basin areas (former provinces of Équateur and Orientale), many poor households have not yet economically recovered after two consecutive years of severe flooding (2023–2024), despite minimal flooding in 2025. As the lean season (Season 2) progresses, a growing proportion of the population will be forced to adopt coping strategies such as reducing essential non-food expenditures (e.g., health or education) or reducing the number of meals consumed. In contrast, in the southwestern and southeastern provinces, the majority of households have diversified livelihood strategies that generally enable them to meet essential needs. These areas are more economically integrated and stable, and beyond their local economic activities, many households also have the option of temporarily migrating to urban areas to find more lucrative employment.
In Kwamouth territory, the security crisis related to the activities of the Mobondo armed group (see the October 2024 Food Security Outlook for more information) continues to evolve. New information suggests that the situation in Kwamouth is improving more than initially expected. A general decrease in the number of incidents has been observed, following government initiatives, particularly the governor’s decision in August 2025 to suspend the collection of customary royalties in Kwamouth territory. According to the International Organization for Migration’s August 2025 report, nearly 97,000 IDPs have returned to Maï-Ndombe province, most of them victims of the conflict in Kwamouth territory, a marked contrast with previous years. According to local sources, there is a noticeable and gradual resumption of agricultural activities in the Masiaku and Ngambuni areas.
The resumption of the agricultural season this September in both bimodal and unimodal areas is taking place under generally favorable agroclimatic conditions, supporting planting activities and seasonally increasing short-term employment opportunities for poor households. Rains began on time, except in the far west of the country, where they were delayed. Rainfall for the rest of the agricultural season (October to December) is expected to be average overall, though below average in the southeast, northeast, and some parts of central-southern DRC. While below-average rainfall generally does not significantly affect crop production in DRC due to the country’s typically abundant rainfall, the southeast is not a tropical zone, and close monitoring will be needed to assess impacts on crop conditions.

Recommended citation: FEWS NET. Democratic Republic of Congo Key Message Update September 2025: Agricultural season begins following the deterioration of the security and humanitarian situation in the east, 2025.

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