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Rural poverty approaches, policies & strategies in Congo

The master plan for rural development, prepared by the Government of the Republic of the Congo in 1997 and updated in 2001, includes:

• redefining the state's role as one of regulating and supporting for the private sector
• liberalizing prices and markets for agricultural products and abolishing agricultural export taxes
• opening up high-potential zones of agricultural production by rehabilitating rural roads and establishing sustainable road maintenance systems
• developing commodity chains
• decentralizing and involving local people in preparing, implementing and monitoring development activities

The government's primary economic objective was to complete the transition from a centralized to a more market-based economy, which had begun earlier in the 1990s but was interrupted by civil war.

After the conflict, a three-year Interim Post-Conflict Programme introduced in 2000 provided for emergency measures and initiatives for social and economic recovery. The interim programme called for increased agricultural production and food security, and for poverty reduction measures.

Emergency measures introduced under the programme included humanitarian assistance, demobilizing and reintegrating youth, improving the institutional and political framework, and increasing agricultural production. The programme was designed to stimulate economic growth, create employment, provide better social and health services, improve competitiveness, increase regional integration and strengthen administrative capacity and the rule of law.

In 2003 the government took a further step on the path toward economic growth and poverty reduction by adopting an agricultural development strategy for 2004-2013. the strategy outlines five priorities:

• financing the agricultural sector through development of microfinance institutions and creation of a national support fund for agriculture
• rehabilitating and maintaining infrastructure, including rural roads and water access
• improving the fiscal environment
• providing technical advice to producers
• addressing the issue of land access

The strategy emphasizes participation by poor people and calls for community development, support for rural organizations and synergy and partnership among ministries and donors.

With support from donors, the government has prepared an interim Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) as part of its programme for the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Debt Initiative.

As outlined in the PRSP, the objectives of the national strategy are to:

• stimulate food production and boost local supply to reduce imports and increase rural incomes
• create employment
• ensure sustainable management of natural resources
• promote economic diversification to reduce the country's dependence on oil revenues

Source: IFAD