The Democratic Republic of the Congo is located in central Africa and, at more than six times the size of Germany, is the second largest state in Africa in terms of area. With a population of 79.4 million (as of 2015), it is the fourth-largest country in Africa in terms of population.
Due to the long-standing colonial rule under the Belgian flag, the official language is French, with Kikongo, Lingála, Kiswahili and Tschiluba being other national languages. The Congolese population is comprised of than 200 ethnic groups, consisting religious communities of Christianity (Catholic, Protestant, Kimbangu, and others), traditional religions and Islam.
Although D.R. Congo is one of the most resource-rich countries in Africa, with natural resources such as diamonds, gold and copper, it is one of the 10 least developed countries in the world in terms of average per capita income, life expectancy and educational level(literacy?).
D.R. Congo is divided into 26 provinces, with the eastern region being less developed both economically and in terms of infrastructure. In the Kivu provinces (North and South Kivu) there are reoccurring political instabilities. Our project is being implemented in the province of South Kivu, which is adjacent to the neighboring states of Burundi, Rwanda and Tanzania. The provincial capital Bukavu is located approximately 1500 km east of the state capital, Kinshasa.
Our project is specifically located in the north of the island of Idjwi. Idjwi (an old German colony until World War I) is an island in the Kivu Lake, which is located in the easternmost part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and is one of the great lakes of the East African Rift Valley. With an area of 310 km², the island of Idjwi forms a block in the middle of Kivu Lake, sitting at an altitude of 1414m to 1800m. Just north of Kivu Lake is the city of Goma. The city Bukavu is located in its south and the Republic of Rwanda is east of the island. According to recent surveys, its population is more than 290,000, which corresponds to a population density of 900 inhabitants per km².
The island of Idjwi was originally inhabited by an indigenous people, known as the Pygmies, a nomadic hunting tribe that lived in the forests of the island. Today, only 1000-2000 Pygmies are still living on Idjwi, with scores expelled due to forest clearance and the expansion of the ethnic Bantu population. Most inhabitants of Idjwi belong to the people of the Bahavu. 95% of the economy depends on agriculture, with its harvest sold in the surrounding towns Bukavu, Goma and Gisenyi. Bananas, avocado, mango, coffee, cassava and many other vegetables and fruits are cultivated on Idjwi.
Due to its exposed location as an island, Idjwi remained largely spared by conflicts and tensions and is considered a place of security. However, many people have sought refuge at Idjwi so that nature’s resources are slowly being used up. The original forests have been cut down almost completely because the wood is needed for heating and cooking. This leads to more erosions of the soil which destroy part of the crops of the inhabitants.
The global climate change manifests itself on Idjwi among other things in a shift of the rain seasons. For about 5-10 years, they have not only been unreliable, but also much stronger, increasing erosion and crop failure. As a result of the climate change, new insects and thus also new pests spread on the island, which cause problems for the farmers.
Means of transportation on Idjwi are predominantly motorcycle taxis, of which there an estimated 2000 on the island, and the ferry which operates several piers on the island. Due to the difficult road conditions, only about 25 cars and 2 transport trucks currently drive on Idjwi’s roads.