Food Security of Region around Nyangezi in Eastern Congo and Lake Bunyonyi in Uganda

Abstract

Thinking of food security and food supply in a region, the first factors that come to mind are its natural features, geographical location and climate, as these are all factors that fundamentally determine the agricultural potential of a given region. However, a number of other factors (e.g. infrastructure development) also influence the ability of a region to exploit its natural potential and to provide stable food security. The aim of this study is to explore, question and make recommendations on the causes of disparities and food security problems in two Central African regions, namely Nyangezi in South Kivu, DRC, and the Lake Bunyonyi region in Uganda. These two regions are very similar in terms of geography, climate and agriculture, but they differ significantly in terms of food security. The Democratic Republic of Congo is the 16th most populous country in the world, 60% of its territory is covered by forests, it is rich in mineral resources (especially copper, cobalt, coltan, gold and diamonds), but the standard of living of its population is not high (Palkovics, 2021), and it is the eighth poorest country in the world. 90% of its exports come from minerals, and it relies heavily on imports for food (both wheat and maize), which are insufficient to meet its needs. Agriculture accounted for 20.6% of GDP in 2015. Based on these indicators, it is relevant to examine the background of low food security. In this study, we address the food security characteristics of the Lake Bunyonyi area in Uganda, which is to be compared with the Nyangezi region of Congo. Although undernutrition is also observed here, food security is more stable compared to the Nyangezi region in Congo.