DRC launches Riz Bumba project targeting 250,000 tonnes of rice by 2030

Rice programme begins in Mongala

The government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo officially launched the “Riz Bumba, Loso na Biso” project on July 16 in Bumba, Mongala province, according to Le Quotidien. The five-year initiative is intended to develop a competitive and sustainable local rice industry, increase domestic supply and gradually reduce the country’s dependence on imported rice.

The programme follows consultations conducted in Bumba in October 2025 by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy Daniel Mukoko Samba. Meetings with farmers, businesses, local authorities and civil-society representatives identified the revival of the rice sector as a priority for national production and Mongala’s economic development.

Public financing and private-sector execution

The Ministry of National Economy will set the project’s strategic direction, while the Economic Regulation Fund, known as FOREC, will provide financial support. Operational implementation has been assigned to Société Rizicole de Bumba, or SRB S.A.U., a subsidiary of Plantations et Huileries du Congo, PHC S.A. The arrangement combines public-sector financing and coordination with PHC’s infrastructure, operating experience and local presence.

Several ministries will support different parts of the rice value chain. The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security will use its technical services to certify seeds distributed to producers and provide technical assistance throughout the production cycle. The Ministry of Rural Development will assist with the rehabilitation of agricultural feeder roads needed to collect crops and move them to market. The Ministry of Infrastructure and Public Works will supervise the technical quality of work on the selected roads.

Production and processing targets

Running from 2026 through 2030, Riz Bumba is expected to work with nearly 30,000 approved partner producers. It provides for the development of seven rice-processing units and sets a production target of 250,000 tonnes by 2030. Together, these measures are designed to connect cultivation with processing and commercial distribution rather than increase farm output in isolation.

The government expects the programme to create several thousand direct and indirect jobs. It also estimates that participating farmers’ incomes could rise by 20% to 25%. No project budget, current production baseline or annual schedule for reaching the 2030 target was disclosed in the source report.

Women and young farmers included

The project aims for women to represent 40% of direct beneficiaries and young people 35%. These targets are intended to support rural entrepreneurship, employment and generational renewal in agriculture while expanding the base of commercial rice producers.

Delivery will depend on more than seed distribution and cultivation. Road rehabilitation will determine whether paddy can reach the seven planned processing facilities efficiently, while certification and technical support will affect yields and product quality. If the production, logistics and milling components advance together, the project could increase locally processed rice available to the Congolese market and reduce import exposure. The scale of that effect will depend on execution during the 2026-2030 period and on whether the planned output can be marketed competitively.