Hunger Hotspots: From War Zones to Fields of Hope in the DRC

By Bienfait Mugenza with Michele Learner

A primary cause of global hunger is armed conflict. Bread for the World’s Hunger Hotspots series draws attention to the many war-torn areas around the world where people have been driven to the brink of famine.

The eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is one such place. Armed conflict has broken out sporadically for the past several decades. Fighting over the last two years has displaced millions of people—who, without access to their farms, have no way to produce food. According to UNICEF, at the start of 2025, fighting in the DRC “escalated to levels not seen in decades.”

The sheer numbers of people in desperate need of food and clean water may often leave humanitarian workers feeling discouraged, especially in sites for displaced persons. Local organizations recognize that it is vital to do everything possible to enable people to get back on their feet, even if their numbers are a small part of the total.

As Bread’s April 2025 piece, “Dire Straits in the DRC,” explains, Idjwi Island, situated in Lake Kivu between the two major cities of Goma and Bukavu, is a longtime sanctuary from violence. The Congo Peace Academy, led by Bienfait Mugenza, began its Agri Peace Program here.

It enables the planting not only of crops, but even more powerful intangibles: peace, purpose, and the promise of renewal.

As a speaker at Bread’s March 2025 Hunger Hotspots briefing at the Nutrition for Growth Summit, Mugenza offered an analysis of the larger context of eastern DRC and described his group’s work.

In a follow-up letter to Bread for the World, he writes:

“This year, the Peace Academy is proud to expand its Agri Peace Program—already a catalyst for transformation on Idjwi Island—to the communities of Minova and Sake. These areas have become refuge for thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs), families forced to flee their homes by relentless conflict and the advance (sic) of armed groups. For those returning to devastated villages with nothing but hope, the road to recovery can feel impossible. But with the right tools, practical training, and the restoration of trust, we can help turn despair into resilience — and rebuild not just livelihoods, but lives.

“Our approach integrates conservation agriculture, peace education, and economic empowerment. It is anchored in the Foundation for Farming (FFF) methodology, a faith-driven, climate-smart farming model that restores degraded soils and enables farmers to produce more with less.

“The goal is simple but profound: equip those affected by war to feed themselves and their neighbors while healing the wounds that violence leaves behind.

“The Peace Academy’s 14 experienced trainers are poised to train 480 ‘champion farmers’—displaced individuals, including women and youth—who will return to their home villages and pass on what they’ve learned to others. These champion farmers become catalysts of transformation, rebuilding not only food systems but fractured community bonds.

“Each participant in the Agri Peace Program receives hands-on instruction in conservation agriculture techniques (which include no tilling as well as mulching, proper spacing, and composting); small-scale irrigation and water management; organic pest control and soil restoration; trauma healing, reconciliation, and nonviolent communication; and financial literacy and cooperative savings models.

“Through this initiative, we seek to position farming not only as a driver of food security and economic resilience, but also as a powerful platform for promoting social cohesion and building sustainable peace.

“We have seen this work. On Idjwi Island, FFF-trained farmers have tripled their yields. Communities once dependent on food aid are now selling surplus in local markets and using proceeds to send children to school. These are not isolated miracles—they are replicable solutions. And now, as thousands of IDPs return home from overcrowded camps, they are asking for the same tools to rebuild their lives.

“The project will be implemented over a six-month period, during which 14 full-time trainers will receive monthly stipends and be provided with essential materials, including hoes, watering cans, seeds, tarpaulins, boots, and training manuals. Upon completion of their training and certification, the 480 champion farmers will transition into trainers themselves, equipped with the skills, tools, and resources necessary to replicate the training within their communities and establish demonstration plots.”

JoAnn C. Sparacino, a retired U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Foreign Service Officer, has seen Congo Peace Academy’s work up close, particularly during the two years she lived in Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province. Sparacino said, “I can attest to the impactful and courageous work of the Congo Peace Academy, led by Bienfait Mugenza, in Goma and on the island of Idjwi where [Mugenza] is from.” She is working to secure support for the efforts of the Congo Peace Academy and other civil society groups to help people displaced by conflict resume their lives. She asks for support for the Congo Peace Academy as it expands its work to serve nearby communities.

Bienfait Mugenza is the founder and director of the Congo Peace Academy and winner of the $50,000 2024 Projects for Peace Alumni Award. Michele Learner is managing editor, Policy and Research Institute, with Bread for the World.