Young people boost harvests and resilience in eastern Congo thanks to climate-resilient techniques
More than 600 young farmers in eastern Congo are now taking steps to apply climate-resilient techniques and are seeing their harvests improve. For many young people in the region, this is not a given: irregular rainfall, soil depletion and ongoing uncertainty due to conflict are putting pressure on family farming systems. At the same time, young farmers face the challenge of building a future in and around agriculture
The Mazingira, Maisha Yetu project – “Our environment, our life” – supports them in this. The initiative, which started in 2024 in Nyiragongo, Masisi and Uvira (North and South Kivu), is coordinated by the Flemish NGO KIYO and its Congolese partner ADED, with funding from the Flanders International Climate Action Programme (FICAP). The aim is to help young, small-scale farmers better adapt their agricultural practices to changing climate conditions while creating broader engagement within their communities.
Practical learning and experimentation
The project combines practical training with exchanges on climate change. Young people learn about crop diversification, soil management and the use of organic fertilisers, among other things. It is not only about individual knowledge, but above all about learning together and exchanging experiences
Claudine Kaherii, a young farmer from the project area, has noticed the difference: ‘I learned how to work with climate-resistant seeds and sustainable farming techniques. Thanks to the yield from my field, I was able to start an income-generating activity and begin saving. Today, I know that I can support myself through farming.’
Safari Karingufu Jackson has also experienced change: ‘I used to only use chemical fertilisers and work without a plan. Now I use crop rotation and organic fertilisers. I can see the difference in my harvest, and I share that knowledge with other young people.’
Sharing knowledge and becoming stronger together
Mutual knowledge sharing appears to be an important driver of change. Young people mirror their peers and are more willing to try new techniques when they see that they work for others. Within the project, more than 150 young people were supported in taking on a mentoring role. Using a farmer-to-farmer approach, they guide other young farmers, often informally and closely linked to everyday practice. In this way, sustainable techniques are disseminated through existing social networks, not just through formal training
The multi-stakeholder committees, established in each project area, provide a platform for young people, local authorities, agricultural services and social actors to share observations from the field. Practical experiments in the field thus form a starting point for broader analyses and action plans on land use, soil management and climate adaptation.
Impact on food security and quality of life
The results are visible. Over the past two years, awareness-raising activities have reached more than 7,000 people. Some 600 young farmers – more than half of whom are girls and young women – have been trained in climate-resilient agricultural practices. Many are now applying these techniques step by step, adapted to their own context.
For Batalemba Bahaya Jean De Dieu, a farmer from Burambo, the impact extends beyond his field: ‘I was already working in agriculture, but I didn’t know its real importance. Thanks to the training, I changed my practices. Today, my children can go to school and my whole family is living better.’
These stories show how climate adaptation, food security and decent work are closely linked. By re-approaching agriculture as a fully-fledged, viable activity, resilience is created for ecosystems, families and communities.
Working in a complex contex
The project is being implemented in a challenging environment. In 2025, the conflict in parts of North and South Kivu escalated, leading to population displacement and temporary interruptions. Nevertheless, many young people were able to resume their agricultural activities thanks to strong local organisation and mutual support. This anchoring proves crucial for continuing to learn, experiment and adapt even in uncertain circumstances.
Outlook
In the final year of the project, the focus will be on further embedding the results achieved. Local action plans will be implemented, young people will continue to take on their mentoring roles, and the multi-stakeholder committees will look for ways to perpetuate their work. Mazingira, Maisha Yetu shows that climate adaptation is not just a technical exercise, but above all a social process in which people learn together, organise themselves and make their environment more resilient, step by step.
By making agriculture valuable and viable again, the project demonstrates how a focus on young people, knowledge sharing and local cooperation can contribute to sustainable communities in a challenging context.