The Democratic Republic of Congo will be leasing out 640,000 square kilometers (247,100 square miles) of farmland – an area larger than France and equal to one quarter of the area of the country in an attempt to attract capital and to improve food production. The land is spread across the country and includes forests, minerals, arable land and water including the Congo River, the second longest river on the continent after the Nile. The government has decided to lease the land through 25 year leases instead of selling to avoid possible unrest and to avoid conflict with investors who could be accused of land grabbing by locals as the country tries to transform its food production system from subsistence farming to more commercial scale production. The leases may be extended if additional legislation is passed. The government has spent $83 million on its first 80,000 hectare site which is being connected to power through a hydroelectric dam and which could grow to become a city of 1 million people. South African Africom Commodities Pty Ltd is working with the government at the first of Congo’s agribusiness parks and has planted 2,200 hectares of maize with an additional 10,000 hectares to be planted by the end of January 2015 including 1,000 hectares of fresh vegetables for local consumption and for export.
To receive relevant news stories with summaries provided by GAI Research & Insight, subscribe to Global AgDevelopments, our free weekly enhanced eNews service