Conflict Continues to Drive Food Crisis in Congo

Forty percent of the population of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is currently facing IPC Phase 3 (Crisis) or above food insecurity, according to a new IPC country report. Continuing conflict, extreme weather events and other natural disasters, and displacement of large swathes of the population have all contributed to protracted food insecurity in the country.

A similar FEWS Net report cites that nearly 7.2 million people in DRC have been displaced since the country’s ongoing conflict worsened in 2023. In the eastern regions, where violent clashes have escalated in recent months, June harvests were disrupted, resulting in deteriorating household food supplies. Many households, particularly those displaced by the fighting, are likely to remain in IPC Phase 3 or IPC Phase (Emergency) food insecurity.

Flooding and resulting landslides in various regions of the country have also damaged crops and infrastructure, further hampering trade and food systems. Agricultural productivity within the country has fallen, with limited access to needed agricultural inputs and reduced staple food production. Food prices in many local markets remain abnormally high as a result, leaving even more households at risk of higher food insecurity. In Kinshasa markets, local yellow maize prices rose 7 percent above their May 2023 levels, while the price of imported rice was up by 22 percent. IPC reports that these recurring natural disasters have also limited households’ access to clean water, electricity, and health services.

Structural challenges are further exacerbating the crisis, including a weak regulatory environment and depreciation of the local currency. As household purchasing power is further reduced by macroeconomic factors, poverty and chronic food insecurity are likely to spread even more throughout the country.

Sara Gustafson is a freelance communications consultant.