TRANSFORMING AGRICULTURE IN AFRICA
with the Brazilian model of arable farming
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With 80 million hectares of arable land, climatic diversity, and abundant water, the agronomic potential of the Democratic Republic of Congo is matched only by Brazil. However, like much of the world, the DRC has traditionally relied on small scale agriculture. With rudimentary production technology, poor agricultural practices and lack of investment, DRC agricultural production has been stagnant or in decline.
As one of the few large-scale agricultural companies in a country with ideal agricultural conditions, we see an immense opportunity for Feronia Arable. Our mission is to deliver shareholder value by growing, processing and selling high quality and high value food products to local markets.
The way forward for arable farming in Africa
The Feronia Arable Farming division operates in the Bas Congo Province of the DRC, and is modeled after the extremely successful large-scale, mechanized farming operations of Brazil. We deploy the best of world-class science and agricultural technology to run highly efficient farming. We also provide our workforce with ongoing training in modern agriculture practices to continuously improve our results.
The climate and soil conditions of Bas Congo are highly analogous to those in the prime agricultural regions of Brazil. Bas Congo enjoys slightly higher rainfall and less variance in temperature.
| |
Brazil |
Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| Average temperature |
21.5°C |
25°2C |
| Average range |
5°C |
4.5°C |
| Highest monthly average |
30°C September |
31°C |
| Lowest monthly average |
11°C June/July |
17°C |
| Average yearly rainfall |
1416 mm |
1482 mm |
| Average monthly rainfall |
118 mm |
124 mm |
| Driest weather |
0 mm August |
2 mm August |
| Wettest weather |
264 mm November |
247 mm November |
| Average annual relative humidity |
68.3% |
80.3% |
Partnerships with landowners
Feronia establishes partnerships with landowners and invests equipment, technical expertise and infrastructure in the partnership. The landowners and communities benefit from a share in profits, job creation and the general development of their region. We also promote out-grower schemes to increase volumes and expand the positive effects of our capital investments in our communities.
For ease of management, our land is divided into 2,000 hectare farm units. Local conditions allow for 2 to 3 crops per annum to be grown in rotation without irrigation. Our farming operations are fully mechanized and use imported tractor units and combine harvesters to maximize productivity.