The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has received USD 10 million from the Democratic Republic of the Congo Humanitarian Fund to provide emergency assistance to vulnerable households in North Kivu, South Kivu, Ituri, and Tanganyika. This intervention is designed to save lives by meeting immediate food needs and preventing a rapid deterioration of hunger in areas most affected by conflict.
FAO emphasized that supporting agricultural production in these regions is a life-saving measure. Without such support, thousands of families risk falling deeper into hunger and resorting to extreme coping strategies. The funding will enable households to quickly produce their own food, helping to stabilize conditions during critical weeks ahead.
In total, 55,500 families—around 330,000 people—will benefit from the emergency support. Assistance will include the distribution of seeds and agricultural inputs, close technical guidance, and unconditional cash transfers in some areas. Targeted interventions will focus on specific health zones across Ituri, North Kivu, Tanganyika, and South Kivu.
Eastern DRC faces a severe food crisis, with millions of households dependent on agriculture but unable to produce due to insecurity, loss of land, lack of inputs, and disrupted markets. According to the latest IPC analysis, 24.8 million people—21 percent of the population—were experiencing acute food insecurity in late 2025. Families have been forced to reduce meals, go into debt, or forego healthcare to survive.
Emergency agricultural assistance is critical in this context. Seeds and inputs provided through FAO’s program will allow households to produce food within weeks of planting, reducing reliance on external aid and improving resilience. Technical support will help maximize harvests, while cash transfers will give families flexibility to meet urgent needs.
The initiative also prioritizes inclusion of vulnerable groups and accountability to affected populations, ensuring that assistance is appropriate and respectful of community needs. By enabling families to produce their own food, FAO aims to preserve dignity, reduce harmful coping strategies, and strengthen long-term resilience.
Investing in emergency agriculture is highlighted as one of the most effective humanitarian responses to hunger. FAO notes that every dollar invested in agriculture can generate up to USD 3 in local food value, underscoring the importance of supporting families to produce food locally as a sustainable and dignified solution.
