Kinama : faced with the reduction in WFP food aid, Congolese refugees turn to corn farming

For some time now, the World Food Program (WFP) has reduced food aid for Congolese refugees in the Kinama camp in Burundi. To cope with this reduction, some refugees have taken up small businesses, carpentry, or even sewing. Others, with the support of certain NGOs, have chosen to grow corn to ensure their livelihoods.

INFO SOS Médias Burundi

The PRODECI Turikumwe project, funded by the World Bank, provides some refugees with agricultural inputs. Those who do not
benefit from this assistance must fend for themselves. Despite a difficult growing season, these refugee farmers managed to harvest enough to last a few months.

“I work alone. I rented a 30-acre plot for three years for 100,000 Burundi francs. This season, I harvested about 150 kg of corn, enough to feed my family for three months. But we lack arable land, fertilizers and seeds. Every day is a struggle, especially since the reduction in WFP food aid,” a refugee told SOS Médias Burundi on condition of anonymity.

Another refugee testified : “Thanks to PRODECI Turikumwe, I was able to cultivate 60 acres this season. With their help in seeds and tools, I harvested 250 kg of corn. This allowed me not only to feed my family, but also to help another refugee.” He plans to grow beans for the B farming season.

The Kinama camp hosts more than 7,000 Congolese refugees, some of whom are seeking sustainable solutions to the challenges posed by the decline in humanitarian aid.

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A corn field tended by a Congolese refugee living in the Kinama refugee camp in northeastern Burundi, March 2025 (SOS Médias Burundi)