Ending poverty through the promotion of soilless vegetable farming

About 

The development of vegetable production in South Kivu is essential for improving food security and the incomes of local women farmers. The vegetables grown in this region are a source of nutritious, high-quality food, but producers face a number of challenges in maintaining and increasing yields to meet local demand. Every day, the town of Uvira consumes over 94 tonnes of fruit and vegetables, of which only 4 tonnes come from local production.

In the context 

of Kiliba Ondesi, promoting soilless vegetable cultivation is a key strategy for eradicating poverty and ensuring food security. Given the scarcity and degradation of arable land in South Kivu, this technique enables the continuous production of high-quality vegetables on very small plots of land.

Why soilless cultivation in Kiliba Ondesi? 

 Benefits: Space optimisation:

Enables cultivation on poor or stony soils through the use of containers or growing media (sawdust, compost, coconut fibre).

Climate adaptation:

Protects crops from adverse weather conditions and enables production even during the dry season. Profitability: Generates regular and rapid income (leafy vegetables, amaranth, cabbage), significantly reducing dependence on external markets. Steps for implementing 

 Successful project: Training and involvement of women

: Training local households (particularly women and young people) in techniques for installing drip irrigation systems or raised beds. Use of local resources: Prioritising fertilisers and pesticides derived from biomass and agricultural waste in order to minimise costs. Seed selection: Sourcing from certified suppliers ensures high yields.

Institutional and local support.

Description: 

Objective: To empower women farmers in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) through sustainable agricultural practices and economic support. Introduction: Every day in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, dozens of women farmers, who are heads of households, struggle to provide for their families. Without arable land, they are subjected to exploitative land leases or accept agricultural jobs for poverty wages, thereby exposing themselves to severe forms of economic and sexual exploitation. Faced with this reality, our organisation, Voix et Action Communautaires, is launching an innovative and practical initiative: the project ‘Ending poverty through the promotion of soilless market gardening ’. To maximise your chances of success and secure funding, we recommend connecting with or drawing inspiration from initiatives by specialist organisations in the region: Local innovations: Look into sustainable farming models supported by organisations such as Rikolto, which are already supporting young entrepreneurs in South Kivu province. Market gardening in Kiliba, located in the territory of Uvira (South Kivu), is a crucial sector for food security and the local economy. Thanks to its low-altitude tropical climate and rainfall, the region offers significant potential, although production is heavily dependent on water management.

This project aims to strengthen women farmers’ agricultural skills by providing them with the resources, training and support they need to improve their yields and economic independence. It focuses on sustainable farming techniques, financial education and access to markets in order to promote their independence and improve their living conditions.

The challenge:

Breaking the cycle of land exploitation. In the village of Kiliba, in South Kivu (Democratic Republic of the Congo), extreme poverty, population growth and forced displacement are driving farmers towards market gardening, a sector that is more accessible, practical and offers a quick return on investment. However, the lack of access to land ownership turns this opportunity into a trap, disproportionately affecting female heads of households, who are victims of exploitation.

A key point to prove: we want to demonstrate that a female farmer who is the head of her household can become fully self-sufficient, feed her family and protect herself from abuse through a modern agricultural alternative that does not require land ownership.

Our approach:

Soil-less farming around homes: Our strategy eliminates the problem of exorbitant land rents by introducing soil-less farming techniques directly in and around beneficiaries’ homes. The project is structured around three main pillars:

Technical training: Learning appropriate soilless cultivation methods. Distribution of comprehensive kits: Provision of quality seeds, equipment and essential supplies. Monitoring and evaluation: Rigorous and regular on-the-ground support.

Pour assurer la pérennité de cette action, nous mettons en place des Groupes de Solidarité Positive (GSP). Ces réseaux locaux permettent le partage des compétences, la mutualisation des ressources de stockage et une stratégie de marketing collectif bien plus rentable.

Crops are guaranteed during the dry season thanks to the proximity of a river running through the village, ensuring there is no shortage of water. Roll-out plan and budget: The project is designed for a gradual and controlled roll-out: Pilot phase (3 months): Training and distribution of 45 kits to 45 women farmers (divided into 3 positive solidarity groups) who will become peer trainers. Year 1: Expansion to 180 kits distributed and consolidation of 12 solidarity groups.

Year 2: Distribution of 160 additional kits and empowerment of 24 groups. Pilot phase budget: The budget required to launch the three-month pilot phase amounts to USD 20,000, broken down as follows: Technical training and mentoring: USD 6,000; Purchase of distribution kits (seeds, equipment): USD 14,000. A dedicated team: Our organisation relies on a local technical team: Project coordinator: Overall management and partnerships (full-time). Accountant: Transparent financial management and reporting (full-time).

Our long-term vision: to become a key player in empowering disadvantaged female farmers who are heads of households in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Join us! Get in touch. We are actively seeking financial partners, donors and technical advisers to bring this pilot project to fruition and bring about lasting change to the living conditions of these farming communities.