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South Africans to farm in Congo

23 October 2009

South Africa has signed a deal with the Democratic Republic of Congo that will allow South African farmers to lease up to 10-million hectares of land in the DRC for the production of maize, soy beans, poultry, dairy cattle and other produce.

The deal aims to improve the DRC's food security by harnessing South African farming skills.

The DRC currently imports up to 95% of its food and, with more than half the country's population concentrated in the two major cities of Brazzaville and Point Noire, the deal seeks to exploit the country's vast tracts of virtually uninhabited land for farming.

According to reportedly involves 30-year renewable leases, includes tax exemptions on importing agricultural inputs and equipment, and allows full expatriation of profits.

South African farmers' assocation AgriSA has welcomed the deal. AgriSA deputy president Theo de Jager told the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) this week that, with growing pressure on South African farmers, it made sense for them to expand their operations into Africa.

De Jager said AgriSA was caught between South Africa's national objective of transferring 30% of agricultural land to black hands and the aim of being a net exporter of food.

As De Jager put it, South Africa became a net importer of food for the first time ever in 2008. That situation had since been turned around, but was now in the balance again.

De Jager told the SABC that the deal would give South African farmers access to up to 10-million hectares of land in the DRC, including 200 000 hectares of state-owned farms which had been abandoned.

Congolese agriculture minister Rigobert Maboundou reportedly said the deal was part of the DRC's New Plan of Action, in which the development of agriculture was a pillar. He said it would also help resolve the country's food security problem.

The Congolese government has reportedly signed similar agreements with China, Brazil and Israel.

Sapa, with additional reporting by SAinfo