Enhancing global food supply chains and mitigating global climate change is one of the six objectives pursued by the CEGFSD’s East and Southern Africa cluster under the two broad goals of strengthening agricultural development in developing countries and addressing new and emerging animal and plant pests and diseases with the outcomes of weak segments of the supply food value chains identified; appropriate value chains training identified for strengthening weak chains; and food value chains enhanced.
In July 2022, Dr. Zachary Senwo of AAMU and Dr. Stephan Tubene of UMES, in collaboration with INERA scientists including Ir. Daniel Dibue, Dr. Lunze, and Dr. Behley engaged smallholder farmers in agroforestry at the Bateke Plateau, the outskirts of the capital city Kinshasa, a region deeply affected by the deforestation and brush fires. The training of smallholder farmers in agroforestry at the Bateke Plateau is a follow-up of a visit conducted in October 2021 under the pilot project funded by the Center.
Nine (9) agroforestry species identified for a reforestation of the Plateau are a combination of legumes suitable for improving soil fertility by fixing nitrogen; and plants producing edible insects, a much needed source of protein free of cholesterol. Smallholder farmers will be trained in modern plant propagation techniques and good nursery management practices. This will ensure a rapid reforestation of the region with the impact of mitigating climate change in the long run, restoring soil fertility, and providing food supply to the population.
