FEWS NET Democratic Republic of Congo Food Security Outlook Update December 2023: Continuing violence is jeopardizing the season A harvest in the North and Central-East, 2023 – Democratic Republic of the Congo

Insecurity in the eastern parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has continued to deteriorate over the past three months, particularly in the province of Nord-Kivu, despite a short-lived lull in armed clashes between M23 rebels and the Armed Forces of the DRC (FARDC). Renewed hostilities from M23 rebels in Masisi, Rutshuru and Nyiragongo territories for the past 2 months have disrupted seasonal harvests due to lack of access to cultivated land. This situation is likely to exacerbate food insecurity in these areas already facing Crisis (IPC Phase 3) outcomes, with an increase in the subset of the population likely facing Emergency (IPC Phase 4).

The 2023-2024 season A began in October with irregular rainfall. Excess rainfall at the start of the season caused flooding of crops and led to the loss of planted areas, particularly in the provinces of Tshopo, South and North Ubangi, Kwilu, Lomami, Kasai, and South Kivu, where river levels and the water table rose, flooding lowland crops. With this disruption in rainfall, it is highly likely that harvests expected at the end of the season will be lower than in previous seasons.

According to the national bank, the inflation rate of the Congolese franc stood at 23 percent, above the projected annual target of 20.8 percent. On the markets, however, prices of the main foodstuffs remained stable this month compared with the last two months. However, prices of staple foods (beans, corn flour, vegetable oil and rice) in November 2023 were around 51 percent above last year’s levels, and 101 percent above the five-year average.