The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is endowed with well over two million square kilometers (km2) of land, 800 thousand of which is arable, yet only 10 percent is currently under cultivation. DRC also has favorable climatic and ecological conditions, allowing several harvests of numerous crops per year. Nevertheless, few studies have looked at the country’s spatial heterogeneity in terms of economic activity, public goods, or the livelihood strategies of smallholder farmers.

The Regional Strategic Analysis and Knowledge Support System (ReSAKSS) supports the successful implementation of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) by providing policy-relevant data, facilitating dialogue among stakeholders, monitoring progress in reviewing goals, and strengthening mutual accountability processes at continental, regional, and national levels.

Africa remains very vulnerable to effects of climate change. Mitigation and adaptation actions are needed and will be crucial because Africa will be facing intensely repeated droughts, floods, desertification, and change in rainfall patterns that will affect the continent’s agricultural calendar, productivity of crop and livestock systems, food security and thereby the livelihoods of millions of farmers particularly in Africa south of the Sahara.

Trends in agricultural and poverty indicators in Zambia

The 2014 Annual Trends and Outlook Report examines both current and future trends that are likely to shape the trajectory of African economies. It investigates the drivers behind the recent growth recovery, the nature and pattern of structural transformation among African economies, past strategies and future outlook for industrialization, the changes occurring in agrifood systems, and the role of major infrastructure sectors in the continents past and future growth.