Identifying Crop Productivity Constraints using an Integrated Survey in the Nyiragongo Territory, North Kivu Province, Democratic Republic of Congo

Select Volume / Issue:

• Volume 12, Issue 2, Mar. 2025

Year:

2025

Type of Publication:

Article

Keywords:

Agricultural Constraints, Socio-Economic Issues, Technical Factors, Social Well-Being

Authors:

Gigalagamba, T. L.; Okungo, A. L.; Beyegue, H. D.; Tankou, C. M.; Kouam, E. B.

Journal:

IJRAS

Volume:

12

Number:

2

Pages:

13-29

Month:

March

ISSN:

2348-3997

Abstract:

Overall, the Congolese agricultural sector is facing numerous technical, economic and institutional constraints, which hinder the country development and plunge populations into a situation of acute food and nutritional insecurity. This survey aims to identify the main constraints of agricultural production and propose possible solutions for the efficiency and sustainability of agricultural production for farmers in the Nyiragongo territory in the province of North Kivu in the Democratic Republic of Congo. One hundred and forty farmers constituting the studied population were selected from the seven agricultural associations in the territory and to whom a well-structured questionnaire was administered. The selection criteria for farmer to be interviewed was the farm size that should be greater or equal to 0.25 ha. The results obtained showed the existence of several constraints associated to socio-economic and technical factors. Major constraints were (1) lack of agroecology practices (100 % of respondents), (2) lack of financial means (87 % of respondents), (3) absence engines and agricultural machines ((85% of respondents), (4) high price for renting land to cultivate (78 % of respondents), (5) lack of state advisers (75 % of respondents), (6) the non availability of adequate fertilizers with high potential for restoring soil fertility (96 % of respondant). Farmers therefore practice primitive production systems which do not contribute to improving their food and their social well-being. These results identify priorities to be directed towards the need of the majority in the territory for the improvement of sustainable crop production for food and feeding.

Full text: IJRAS_1158_FINAL.pdf [Bibtex]