Sankuru Regen is an agricultural project seeking to empower farming communities in the Sankuru Region of the Democratic Republic of Congo.  This project is a collaboration led by Daniel Law and facilitated by the US based Appointment Congo and its DRC based non-profit partner AMECO.  Sankuru Regen is a collaboration supported by the donations of individuals and informed by the principles and practices of regenerative agriculture.

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Our Context

Geographically situated in the heart of the Democratic Republic of Congo the Sankuru is isolated from the rest of the country with deteriorating infrastructures and a struggling economy.  The realities of the Sankuru include a lack of quality roads, insufficient health systems, and an underdeveloped education system.   The people of the Sankuru are dependent on agriculture and practice slash-and-burn agriculture which includes clearing rainforest and burning the residue to prepare land.   The entrenched belief is that this is the only way to assure fertility of the soil.  However, these practices are deteriorating soils, negatively impacting the broader environment, and causing smoke related health issues for the larger population during the burning season.  This method of farming results in an approximate 30% decrease in rice productivity every year after the first and best yield year.  Land is then abandon after a few years forcing people to slash and burn virgin forests.  Across the Sankuru region conflicts are immerging between villages over access to forest land to clear and cultivate. Hunger and extreme malnutrition are common place as is evidenced by enfant mortality rates as high as 15% by the age of 5.  While this context seems bleak the opportunity and urgency to effect change has never been greater.  Strategic improvements in agricultural practices that increase yields have been proven to work locally.  A meaningful impact on peoples day to day lives with in a growing season is possible and the moment is ripe for this kind of change. 

 

Our Research

Appointment Congo and AMECO began a research collaboration led by Daniel Law in 2022 to develop and field test regenerative methods that can work with in the local context.  In the early months of 2022 hot or thermal compost was produced using local materials.  This compost was incorporated into a modified rainfed (not flood irrigated) rice production system which incorporated relevant principles from the System of Rice Intensification (SRI).  Generally SRI is associated with flood irrigation, however, the Sankuru context is entirely "rainfed" so we identified methods that could be applicable for local farmers.  We used locally available seed.  Our tests demonstrated that by not burning, maintaining ground cover through the dry season, spacing our rice at 25cm intervals, roguing at 12-16 days after planting, and incorporating compost we could improve yields.  Incorporating a rotational crop of beans during the off season and ground cover we planted another crop of rice in 2023 and our yields increased.  Our results turned heads as normally yields decrease and ours increased without burning.  The research and methods demonstrated to be effective however our greatest obstacles to adoption are the entrenched practices and beliefs about agriculture.  What we have witnessed so far is that people are eager to learn and to try out the methods that we have demonstrated to work but this will require additional efforts. 

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Our Values

1. People are valuable not because of who they can be but by nature of who they already are.

2. What people already have is more valuable than what they could have, use what is available.

3. Small steps are essential to demonstrate feasibility.  Fail small with intention toward a larger success. 

4. Transfer of competency is only proven when demonstrated through multiple generations in other words....

I tell you 

I show you

We do it together

You do it with feedback

You tell another with feedback...and the cycle continues

 

Principles

Our principles are borrowed from a larger Regenerative Agriculture principles. 

1. Know Your Context

2. Cover the Soil

3. Minimize Soil Disturbance

4. Promote Bio-diversity

5. Maintain Continuous Living Plants/Roots

6. Integrate Livestock