Feasibility study for the development of small sustainable businesses in the agri-food sector among young people in Goma Nyiragongo, Masisi, Lubero, DRC.

This study was conducted to better understand the role of the agri-food sector in the local economy, the obstacles to its development, as well as the impact of recent clashes and displacements on the actors and their adaptation strategies. It responds to the need for an updated and contextualized analysis to guide interventions in favor of economic recovery, youth employment and food security in an environment marked by instability.

Methodologically, the approach combined a quantitative and qualitative survey. The sample was made up of 89 individuals surveyed (producers, traders, young entrepreneurs) and 27 key informants (community leaders, local officials, actors in the agri-food sector). This diversity made it possible to combine the perspectives of the different actors involved in the agri-food value chain and to develop a global understanding of local dynamics.

The main results highlight that the agri-food sector plays a central role in the local economy. Indeed, more than 80% of respondents associate this sector with job creation, 73% with food security, and almost one in two respondents (46%) with reducing youth unemployment and their empowerment. These perceptions confirm the structuring nature of the agri-food industry for social stability and local economic development.

However, several major obstacles hinder its development. Limited access to financing is cited by nearly 65% ​​of respondents, followed by insecurity (48%), lack of suitable infrastructure (44%) and difficult access to inputs and agricultural land (38%). These constraints hamper the production, processing and marketing of local products.

Recent clashes and displacements have had particularly serious consequences: more than 70% of key informants speak of a collapse in agricultural production linked to the abandonment of land and lack of access to fields; nearly 60% mention massive losses due to looting and destruction; and more than half report a marked increase in food prices in local markets. These dynamics have also led to a rural exodus and an increase in unemployment, worsening the local economic crisis.

Faced with this situation, local actors have implemented various adaptation strategies. Around a third of respondents (32%) mention the development of small IGAs and small businesses as an economic alternative; 27% resort to self-financing, credit and community solidarity; others are adapting their supply circuits (18%). However, a significant proportion (more than 40%) acknowledge having had difficulty or even failed to adapt, highlighting the fragility of these mechanisms in a context of persistent instability.

These findings show the need to put in place concerted measures to strengthen the economic resilience of communities, support agri-food entrepreneurship and promote an environment conducive to stability and local development.