The rainy season in the DRC runs from mid-October to mid-May, bringing its share of challenges, from floods to impassable roads. However, it is also a critical period for transporting and planting palm trees. These young palms, soon to be one year old, must be planted and carefully irrigated during their first few weeks in the ground. 🌴
🌧️ 🛻 A Race Against Time: As soon as the weather clears and the rain stops, every moment counts to transport the palm seedlings. In Kongo Central, heavy rains can reach over 40 mm in just one hour, making plant transportation even more challenging.
Nearly 30,000 palm seedlings are transported in batches of 100 to 500 plants—a logistical feat made possible by RougeCongo‘s dedicated team, who ensure smooth organization and coordination.
🧑🌾 This year, nearly 100 farmers have acquired palm seedlings at subsidized prices. For each hectare planted, they receive around ten fruit trees, acacias, and cover crop seeds—enhancing biodiversity and improving farm resilience. Among these farmers, some who planted palms in 2023 have now been able to expand their plantations in 2024, proving that RougeCongo’s initiatives meet a real and growing demand.
AlphaSeeds is proud to support RougeCongo in its commitment to empowering local farmers and promoting sustainable agriculture. By strengthening local processing of palm fruits, RougeCongo provides a long-term solution while producing red palm oil, a staple in Congolese cuisine.
✉️ If you’re interested in strengthening food security in Africa, please contact us at info@alphaseeds.ch
