Director-General and President of the National Assembly of the Democratic Republic of the Congo stress the need to unleash the great potential of youth to achieve sustainable development
FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu met with Her Excellency Jeanine Mabunda Lioko, President of the National Assembly of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to exchange views on further valorizing the country’s huge potential.
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, approximately 65% of the population is under 35 years. Youth employment in agriculture and the mobilization of youth being key to achieving sustainable development, there is a strong need to create more job opportunities and build capacity in rural areas, and the use of digital technologies can be instrumental. In addition to this, the Director-General highlighted the need to have an inductive environment for this change; this would require developing and implementing legal and regulatory frameworks and services for youth’s inclusion in the agriculture sector. In this regard, their capacity development and certifications would be needed.
The parties discussed the importance of improving value chains and promoting an enabling environment in terms of agricultural policy, they mainly focused on key staple crops for the country, maize, cassava and rice, which form part of the daily household diet in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The Director-General and Her Excellency Jeanine Mabunda Lioko also shared common views on agricultural innovation. During the meeting, the pair agreed on establishing closer ties.
The Director-General presented the agency’s new Hand-in-Hand initiative as an excellent opportunity for the youth population in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and recalled the great significance of digitalization and innovation in the agricultural sector.
