At a workshop held at the Kisenda school in Lualaba province, on 20 June 2024,
Mutanda Mining (a Glencore Group company in partnership with the DRC
government) and Equity-BCDC launched a development project in the agrifood
sector, aimed at empowering communities around its operations.
Called ProAc, the project aims to develop a sustainable agri-food sector that
contributes to economic diversification, financial inclusion, food security, wealth
creation and improved livelihoods.
Two distinct aspects will be highlighted to achieve these objectives: capacity
building through technical assistance to beneficiaries, and access to financing.
Hugues Munung, Head of Environment and Community Projects at Mutanda
Mining, said:
“… Mutanda Mining is proud to implement this project for the benefit of the
surrounding communities, as there is no doubt that it will have a positive
impact not only on the socio-economic conditions of our populations but also
enable a significant take-off of the Lualaba province, in the field of agriculture
and fish farming…”
Taking his turn to speak, Dominique Lumumba, Head of Equity BCDC’s Value
Chain and Agricultural Market Development Unit, accompanied by Eric Salumu,
Head of Lualaba branches, declared:
“EquityBCDC, through its Social Investment Department, will provide
technical assistance related to agricultural financing and access to credit.
This financing will be given not only to the direct beneficiaries of the project,
but also to SMEs and other players in the agricultural value chain”.
The launch took place in the presence of representatives of the provincial
authorities, notably the representative of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries
and Livestock, representatives of the communities benefiting from the project
and neighboring Mutanda Mining’s operations, as well as numerous notables
from the province.
