DR Congo: Growing greener cities

FAO’s programme for urban and peri-urban horticultureFAO’s programme for urban and peri-urban horticulture

Growing greenercities

in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Democratic Republicof the Congo

FAO’s programme for urban and peri-urban horticulture



The challenge: Urbanization

Source: UN-Habitat, Global Urban Observatory, 2008

World urban and rural population growth (millions)



Urbanizing Africa

Percentage of population residing in urban areas

Source: Africa Environment Outlook: Past, present and future perspectives(UNEP/GRID-Arendal)

Urban population growth in Africa (%)



Increasing urban poverty

Growing food insecurity

Child malnutrition

High unemployment

Effects of urbanizationEffects of rapid urbanization



“The world’s poor once huddled largely in rural areas. In the modern world,

they have gravitated to cities.”Gerard Piel

The urbanization of poverty worldwide,Challenge, Vol. 10, Feb. 1997

Urban poverty and food security



Urban poverty and food security

“Urban food security and its related problems

should be placed high on the agenda in the years to come.”

Jacques DioufFAO Director-General

State of food insecurity in the world 2006



Urban horticulture in DR Congo



Rank City Population 1 Tokyo 36,400,0002 Mumbai 26,385,0003 Delhi 22,498,0004 Dhaka 22,015,0005 São Paolo 21,428,0006 Mexico City 21,009,0007 New York-Newark 20,628,0008 Kolkata 20,560,0009 Shanghai 19,412,00010 Karachi 19,095,000

11 Kinshasa 16,762,00012 Lagos 15,796,000

Adapted from UN-HABITAT 2008

Kinshasa 2025: Africa’s biggest city



Kinshasa

Mbanza Ngungu

Kisangani

LikasiLubumbashi

The citiesFive project cities



Strategy 1:Secure land and water

resources

The “Five-S” strategies



UPH project activities on 1,900 ha of land

1,650 ha now secured

1. Securing land and water



Strategy 2:Secure produce quality

and safety, protect the environment




Farmerassociations

477

Members: males

7,800

Members: females

12,200

2. Securing produce quality and safety



2. Securing produce quality and safety 413 farmer field schools 10,400 direct beneficiaries

55 school gardens established



Strategy 3:Secure ownership by all participants

in the production chain




Microcredit facilities established Direct Beneficiaries:

• 14,500 farmers

• 71 micro-enterprises

3. Ownership of the project



Mean monthly net revenue per vegetable farmer in the urban and peri-urban system

Kisangani Mbanza Ngungu

Lubumbashi Kinshasa Likasi

US$ 51 US$ 100 US$ 156 US$ 164 US$ 294

3. Ownership of the project



Strategy 4:Secure market

outlets




4. Securing the market

Processed products sold in supermarkets Marketing points in 12 neighborhoods



Strategy 5:Secure political and

institutional commitment




5. Political and institutional commitment

Government gives high priority to UPH A national UPH service with decentralized offices



Highly successful framework for the implementation of UPH

Technical guidance and capacity-building increased effectiveness and sustainability

A knowledge platform for dissemination

Lessons learned



Growing greenercities

For food security, nutrition and livelihoods


Documents

DR Congo: Growing greener cities