DRC: Bilanga ya Betu cooperative calls for the promotion of agricultural SMEs

« The Government must create a desire for agriculture by investing with financing in Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), and by improving agricultural feeder roads to facilitate the evacuation of food to consumption centres. This is in order to advance the business. Because we have projects that will contribute to the development of our country, » said Judith Kur, the administrator of Bilanga ya Betu.

She made this statement in an interview with Zoom Eco on Friday, September 19, 2019, on the sidelines of the fourth edition of the Kinshasa International Fair (FAIKI) hosted by the Academy of Fine Arts.

Indeed, Bilanga ya Betu is an agricultural cooperative created in 2017 composed of professionals passionate about agriculture and committed to promoting the production, processing and consumption of local products.

Since its inception, this structure has been at the heart of a synergy between the urban and rural worlds for agricultural solidarity aimed at safeguarding and enhancing the work of farmers and small producers discouraged by the enormous difficulties involved in both the evacuation and the sale of products.

« Faced with the challenges of raising the DRC to its status as a global agricultural and food basket, production, processing and local agricultural consumption, Bilanga ya Betu intends to contribute to meeting these challenges, » said Judith Kur.

Among the various products available and displayed in their stand at FAIKI 2019 are potatoes; spices, corn flour, vegetables, fruits, embers, beans and many others.

To harvest these products, this platform claims to encounter several difficulties related to seed, the means of transport to move the products, as well as the business.

Judith Kur draws the attention of the central government to give sustained attention to the agricultural sector by providing financial, technical and strategic support to SMEs and small local producers to develop the country.

As a reminder, the Government Programme recently approved by the national deputies provides for increasing the economic involvement of national stakeholders by expanding the national middle class, through the supervision and promotion of SMEs and SMIs.

The Prime Minister’s conviction, reinforced by the vision of the Head of State, remains that the main wealth of the Democratic Republic of Congo, contrary to popular belief, is neither cobalt, gold, copper nor even diamonds, but rather agriculture, which is the source of real inclusive economic growth.

« This sector therefore deserves our full attention because of its labour-intensive nature and its ability to contribute effectively to the fight against poverty, which is now aggravated by a real food and nutrition crisis, something inconceivable in a country like ours, » said Sylvestre Ilunga Ilunkamba.

Between words and deeds, analysts comment, the Prime Minister must succeed in closing the gap that has always existed by taking concrete action to address these challenges. For their part, elected representatives of the people are waiting to be immersed in the draft 2020 Budget to reassure themselves of the way in which the resources will be mobilized to achieve this commitment.

Agnès KAYEMBE