Blog How PABRA's Support is Empowering Women Amidst Adversity in North Kivu, DRC
Nyiragongo women in North Kivu in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) are the epitome of resilience in the face of repeated shocks and uncertainty due to natural disasters such as volcano eruptions and internal conflicts within the community. The Bean for Women Empowerment Project (B4WE) has boosted women's economic independence and sustainable agricultural practices through tailored trainings across the bean value chain.
By: Napoleon Kajunju, Rachel Kayange and Jean Claude Rubyogo
In the face of adversity, smallholder farmers show incredible perseverance in continuing to sow and harvest. This is the case for a group of women in the Nyiragongo territory of North Kivu, DRC, whose unwavering determination shows the very essence of resilience.
It is an unbeatable spirit, in the face of repeated shocks and uncertainty, that characterizes a group of women supported by various development partners including the National Extension Service (SNV) in the Nyiragongo territory. This region suffered a volcano eruption in May 2021, which scorched fields and damaged infrastructure. Since May 2022, escalating conflict among multiple armed groups has further exacerbated the situation, leading many women and families to seek refuge in displacement camps on the outskirts of the main regional city of Goma.
Amidst these dire circumstances, some people might become paralyzed with their misfortune; however, these women move forward and innovate: they are growing biofortified beans promoted by the Institut National pour l'Etude et la Recherche Agronomiques (INERA) and Alliance Bioversity International and CIAT through the Pan-Africa Bean Research Alliance (PABRA) supported by the B4WE project's partners (Syndicat de Defense des Interets des Paysans - SYDIP, Arbre de Paix, Association des Jeunes Cultivateurs et des Éleveurs pour le Développement du Kivu - AJEDECEKI, etc.) and governmental agencies e.g. Service National de Vulgarisation (SNV) and Service National des Semences (SENASEM). The project partners and government service providers have received tailored trainings on activities across the beans value chain including seed system and multiplication, good agronomic practices, pest and disease management, and agribusiness and nutrition. These trainings have been supported by PABRA through diverse initiatives including the B4WE, PICAGL project, the AID-I initiative. As a result, partners like SNV provide guidance and support to these female farmers, equipping them with the necessary knowledge to successfully grow biofortified beans.
Recently, the women’s group encountered a new challenge - a pest infestation ravaging the leaves of their germinating beans, planted on March 16, 2024 (see photo 6). Through PABRA’s digital Multi-Stakeholders Platform, Roger swiftly communicated the women’s concerns, and a solution was promptly devised. A manual on pests and diseases management (developed by INERA, the Alliance and PABRA) was sent to assist these women in addressing the issue (photo 6 of manual), using integrated pest management practices.
This narrative isn’t merely a single display of farmers’ resilience in North Kivu: meet AJECEDEKI, a flourishing seed multiplier association. Despite ongoing insecurity, the group’s gardens are thriving with bean crops. With expertise gained through trainings with the Alliance and PABRA, the farmers are multiplying a diverse variety of beans and producing healthy seeds (see photo 7). Alongside INERA, they planted one hectare of Early Generation Seed of the HM 21-7 variety, two hectares of 1st generation HM21-7, and 2.5 hectares of Kabulangeti variety in Rutshuru.
Photo 7: Beans gardens for seed multiplication planted by AJECEDEKI in Lubero, North Kivu
Venturing into challenging territories such as Beni and Lubero in the northern part of Kivu - with minimal road infrastructure and ongoing civil conflict - another PABRA partner, SYDIP, has an unwavering commitment to providing farmers with quality bean seeds, sowing the seeds of change to be sold to farmers in September 2024. Since March 1st, they've meticulously planted 3.7 hectares of beans in Kasinga, anticipating a bountiful yield of 10 tonnes to respond to specific demand in Lubero and Beni zones (see photo 8).
Photo 8: Beans gardens for seed multiplication planted by SYDIP in Lubero, North Kivu
Together with the support of the Alliance and PABRA, the resilience of these women farmers from northern Kivu can create a new narrative of production and nutrition progress in the face of challenges. Even in conflict-affected areas there is hope, and concrete, collaborative actions can accelerate steps towards a brighter future.
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