World Bank’s US$105M project takes shape to develop poultry, aquaculture in Congo
World Bank-led team holds pre-appraisal mission for Congo’s poultry, aquaculture project. The assessment focuses on sectoral challenges, investment planning, and institutional design.
CONGO – According to recent reports, a World Bank-backed mission took place in Brazzaville from January 13 to 19, 2025, as preparations continue for the Poultry and Aquaculture Development Project (PADeP) in the Republic of Congo.
Led by Zoumana Bamba of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and Dr. Christopher Suh from Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT), the team engaged with World Bank officials and local stakeholders to review sectoral obstacles and sketch out a development plan.
The pre-appraisal mission was tasked with conducting an initial assessment and drafting a Project Appraisal Report to guide the next stages of the initiative.
Discussions covered institutional arrangements, investment frameworks, monitoring systems, and environmental and social considerations, culminating in a proposed roadmap for the project’s final design.
PADeP is structured around five components with total funding estimated at US$105 million, sourced primarily from the International Development Association (IDA) and additional partners.
Key Areas of Investment
The largest allocation—US$40 million—is dedicated to strengthening the agribusiness environment through reforms, training, infrastructure, and better access to finance.
Another US$20 million is earmarked to support local production of essential inputs like feed, fingerlings, and day-old chicks in a bid to reduce dependence on imports.
A separate US$40 million segment targets production and marketing, with a focus on sustainable farming, improving access to markets, and creating job opportunities for youth and women.
The project also includes a contingency component to enable emergency responses, while US$5 million is allocated for administration and monitoring.
Representatives from government agencies, private firms such as AGRO4, SGMP, and AQUACONGO, poultry producers, farmers, and NGOs took part in the discussions to map out practical approaches for implementation.
The mission identified several barriers to growth, including outdated technologies, poor access to quality seeds and feed, and financial constraints that limit expansion and modernization.
Participants also flagged issues related to underdeveloped supply chains, inconsistent input quality due to a weak seed system, and lack of coherent policy support for the sectors.
To tackle these problems, the mission recommended broadening access to finance, improving the availability of inputs, investing in infrastructure, and enhancing the policy environment.
It also emphasized the need to build up the technical and managerial capacity of producers and institutions to support long-term viability.
The mission marks a critical step toward finalizing PADeP and sets the stage for coordinated efforts between IITA, TAAT, and the World Bank in driving growth in Congo’s poultry and aquaculture industries.
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