Closing of the exchange workshop organized by RESSAC on research and innovation in agro ecology carried out by farmer organizations for sustainable food systems in the Democratic Republic of Congo

RESSAC organized in Bukavu from December 23 to 27, 2024, an exchange workshop on research and
innovation in agroecology led by farmer organizations for food systems sustainable in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Indeed, agroecology is vital for farmers in developing countries and in particular farmers African countries because it promotes sustainable methods, adapted to their ecosystems. It helps preserve the biodiversity, improves soil quality and reduces dependence on costly chemical inputs. This approach is also economically beneficial, because it increases resilience to changes climate and ensures stable yields.
The role of action research is essential to enable farmers to produce better. It facilitates the adaptation of agroecological practices to local contexts, engages farmers in the processinnovation and strengthens their skills. This collaborative approach ensures better understanding of local agricultural systems and promotes the development of adapted solutions, increasing thus the productivity and sustainability of African agriculture. Many Congolese POs are already engaged in these processes with the support of their partners.

On the other hand, strengthening the capacities of producers, POs and partner entities to carry out a action research process led by farmers to support agroecological innovation. Finally, the program aims to increase the local know-how of farmers in the application of Agroecological and innovation approaches for sustainable and resilient agroecological systems. To enable the different partners involved in this program to exchange their experiences and strengthen their capacities in terms of action research in agroecology, RESSAC, in collaboration with its partners, organized this workshop which allowed us to try to think together about some key questions in terms of action research:
How to coordinate relevant research themes, which effectively respond to the needs of farmers?
How to set up a space for collaboration between the different research partners? How guarantee the scientific rigor of protocols and ownership of experiments by farmers? So many questions that arise during projects and whose resolutions deserve to be thought about and shared.