Mrs. Judith Suminwa, the Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), has graciously accepted the title “Youth Brigade Champion”, with the aim of enhancing the social and economic well-being of Congolese youth through agropastoral initiatives. This decision was taken during her discussion with Dr. Sanginga Nteranya, President of the African Agricultural Leadership Institute (AALI), who had the honor of meeting her on July 11, 2024, after her visit to the Kalambo agronomic research station on June 26, 2024.
The Prime Minister expressed her admiration for the remarkable efforts made by AALI and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in agricultural transformation in the DRC during her visit to the respective stations in Kalambo.
During their meeting in Kinshasa, the Prime Minister and the President of AALI discussed several key issues for the transformation of Congolese agriculture, notably the continuity of the Agenda for Agricultural Transformation in the DRC (ATA-RDC) program and the deployment of the Youth Brigade throughout the country, for which a proposed plan of action has been submitted. The aim of the deployment of the Youth Brigade is to generate more sustainable jobs for Congolese youth along the agricultural value chains (corn, cassava, rice, soybeans/beans, aquaculture and small-scale livestock farming, etc.), thereby supporting the Congolese government in its vision of reducing youth unemployment and food insecurity.
This initiative is part of a global approach aimed at strengthening the impact of agriculture on the local and national economy, while offering young people concrete opportunities for their professional and personal development. The commitment of H.E. the Prime Minister of the DRC, as Champion of the Youth Brigade, represents a significant step forward in government recognition and support for agricultural initiatives and youth entrepreneurship. This collaboration promises to catalyze positive change in the DRC’s agricultural sector and make a substantial contribution to improving the living conditions of young people locally and nationally.