New South-Kivu Minister of Agriculture commends IITA progress in PICAGL implementation
On 18 June, implementation partners on the Integrated Project for Agricultural Growth in the Great Lakes [Projet Intégré de Croissance Agricole dans les Grands Lacs (PICAGL)] were received in Bukavu, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), at the office of the Honorable Minister of Agriculture for South-Kivu Province, his Excellency Marcelin Amani Bahaya.
Minister Marcelin Amani Bahaya (in blue) flanked by Dr Leon Nabahungu (left),
Dr Adebowale Akande (second from right), and Mr Jean-Damas Bulubulu.
The partners were in Bukavu at the invitation of the newly appointed minister to discuss the progress of the PICAGL project and the involvement of the different partners. Partners on the project include IITA, the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), Veterinaire Sans Frontiere (VSF), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and Rikolto.
During the meeting, the PICAGL Provincial Coordinator Mr Jean-Damas Bulubulu, along with the other implementing partners, presented overall and individual project progress, their activities, the challenges encountered so far, and mitigation
plans. They also presented planned activities to be achieved by the end of the project.
The Minister said that the whole South-Kivu Province is expecting great agricultural changes in the Province through the PICAGL project and congratulated IITA particularly for being the most advanced partner in terms of implementation and quality of services provided so far. He urged other implementing partners to follow the footsteps of IITA and increase the pace of implementation of their activities.
The new Head of the Kalambo station, Adebowale Akande, represented IITA along with Leon Nabahungu and Francine Nsindabagoma.
