Conservation agriculture is a response to sustainable land management, environmental protection and climate change adaptation and mitigation. In many cases, conservation agriculture has been shown to reduce GHG emissions from agricultural systems and enhance their role as carbon sinks. Its aim is to stabilize production and increase soil fertility by improving soil structure, water conservation and, consequently, yields.
Although the benefits of conservation agriculture and sustainable agroforestry as a climate change mitigation and adaptation technology have been demonstrated by research in Northern countries, there is still very little empirical evidence of the potential benefits of this climate technology in Sub-Saharan Africa. Studies on concrete projects are lacking, and development decision-makers are not sufficiently aware of this technology. In addition, the lack of cross-sectoral policy support remains an uncertainty and a challenge for farmers and agri-businesses seeking sustainable land use for agriculture. Empirical research generating locally relevant evidence and demonstrating the benefits of conservation agriculture and sustainable agroforestry in relation to local environmental conditions and targeted crop varieties is needed to gain policy and business support for innovation in the DRC. This technical assistance aims to produce a project document for the deployment of conservation agriculture and sustainable agroforestry approaches in the DRC, and to support the incubation of innovative and new businesses in this sector.