^{À village in kabare South kivu East of DRC pitchure By JANVIER BARHAHIGA}

In South Kivu, the degradation of agricultural land is increasingly threatening the livelihoods of rural communities. Soil erosion, heavy rainfall, periods of drought, deforestation, pressure on land and conflict-related displacement are combining to weaken agricultural production.

This situation gives particular significance to the opening of the 17th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), which begins Monday, August 17, in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, and runs until August 28. Land restoration and drought resilience are among the key issues on the agenda.

For rural communities in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the issue is concrete: maintaining the ability of land to produce enough food for families and generate income.

South Kivu’s soils are under growing pressure

Scientific research conducted in South Kivu has documented the degradation of cultivated land across the province. Research by Aimé B. Heri-Kazi and Charles L. Bielders has examined the severity of soil degradation, taking into account farming practices, characteristics of agricultural holdings and biophysical and socio-economic conditions.

In this mountainous province, erosion is one of the major challenges.

In Kalehe, heavy rainfall caused significant damage to crops in March 2026. Fields were affected by runoff and mud, while some agricultural access roads were damaged, making it more difficult for farmers to transport their produce to markets.

A few months later, in July, local actors also raised concerns over bush fires reported in parts of Kalehe during a period of drought. Coffee, quinine and eucalyptus plantations, as well as beekeeping facilities, were reportedly affected.

These events illustrate a growing challenge for farmers: land can be damaged both by too much water and by too little.

Climate change is not the only factor

However, reducing land degradation in South Kivu to climate change alone would be misleading.

Available research points to the interaction of several factors, including agricultural practices, erosion, deforestation, population pressure and socio-economic vulnerability.

Heavy rainfall, for example, does not have the same impact on land protected by vegetation cover as it does on a cultivated slope exposed to erosion.

For experts, land restoration therefore requires a combination of interventions: soil conservation, water management, agroforestry, improved farming practices and technical support for farmers.

In Kalehe, land degradation is worsening food insecurity

The consequences extend beyond agriculture.

In June 2025, civil society organizations in Kalehe warned of worsening food insecurity in some areas of the territory, including Mbinga Nord. Landslides, torrential rainfall and the destruction of crops had affected household livelihoods.

Deforestation linked to charcoal production and timber extraction was also identified among the factors contributing to environmental degradation.

The process creates a chain of vulnerability: degraded soil, lower agricultural production, reduced income and worsening food insecurity.

In areas affected by armed conflict, the situation is even more complex. Displaced families may lose access to their farmland or be forced to cultivate smaller and less productive plots.

Farmers caught between multiple crises

The situation in South Kivu is part of a broader trend across eastern DR Congo.

In neighboring North Kivu, several initiatives are supporting farmers affected by displacement and environmental pressures, including efforts to promote more sustainable and climate-resilient agricultural practices.

For rural communities, security, climate and economic crises increasingly overlap.

The question is therefore no longer simply how to increase production, but how to maintain the productive capacity of the land over the long term.

Seeds and farming practices are key to adaptation

Adaptation also depends on access to seeds suited to changing climatic conditions.

Changes in rainfall patterns are making agricultural calendars increasingly difficult to predict. In several parts of eastern DR Congo, researchers and farmers are testing or promoting varieties that are better adapted to local climatic and agronomic conditions.

Soil fertility remains equally important.

Research in the region indicates that repeated cultivation without sufficient replenishment of soil nutrients can gradually reduce the productive capacity of farmland.

The challenge is therefore twofold: producing today without compromising tomorrow’s harvests.

Restoring land also requires investment

Land restoration is not only an environmental issue. It directly affects food security, rural incomes and community resilience.

At COP17, governments, scientists, farmers, Indigenous Peoples, civil society organizations and private-sector actors are expected to discuss ways of mobilizing financing for land restoration and drought resilience.

For DR Congo, one of the main challenges will be translating international commitments into measurable action on the ground.

This could include watershed restoration, agroforestry, erosion-control measures, rehabilitation of degraded land, improved seeds, community-based water management and technical support for smallholder farmers.

Financing remains a critical question

Restoring degraded land takes time and requires investment.

For smallholder farmers, building erosion-control structures, planting trees or changing farming practices can represent a significant cost, while the benefits may only become visible after several agricultural seasons.

DR Congo has already secured international financing aimed at strengthening climate resilience.

In 2025, the United Nations Development Programme announced an $8.24 million Global Environment Facility-funded programme to strengthen climate resilience in several provinces in eastern DR Congo. The programme includes plans to promote climate-resilient practices across 15,000 hectares of agricultural land and train more than 500 lead farmers.

But a key question remains: how much of this investment will translate into measurable results on the ground?

The number of hectares effectively restored, the number of farmers receiving sustained support and the durability of the practices adopted will be crucial indicators of impact.

Farmers must be at the center of restoration policies

Land restoration policies should also make greater use of local knowledge.

Farmers directly observe changes in soil fertility, rainfall patterns, agricultural seasons, water sources and crop yields. Their experience can help identify solutions suited to local realities.

In South Kivu, restoring land therefore means tackling erosion in Kalehe, protecting watersheds, supporting farmers in Kabare and Walungu, improving access to climate-adapted seeds and assisting communities whose livelihoods have been disrupted by conflict.

The real test of COP17

For DR Congo, the success of COP17 should not be measured solely by political declarations or the amount of funding announced.

It should also be measured on the ground.

How many hectares will actually be restored?

How many farmers will receive long-term support?

How many households will be able to improve their food production?

How many watersheds will effectively be protected?

And above all, how many communities will be able to continue living from their land instead of being forced to leave because it can no longer sustain them?

In Ulaanbaatar, governments will discuss land restoration, drought and resilience.

In South Kivu, these concepts have a much more immediate meaning: being able to keep farming, feed one’s family and make a living from the land tomorrow.