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\u2013 Protected agricultural areas\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
![\"17196289175_72cbba8677_c\"](\"https:\/\/congo.yearbook-media.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/elementor\/thumbs\/17196289175_72cbba8677_c-e1745061936932-r4l4e2pk761sordpapxt5ddidh0qbu1r2hjpt55u22.jpg\" "\\"17196289175_72cbba8677_c\\"")
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\tTo attract foreign and domestic investors, the State has implemented the Protected Agricultural Zones (PAZ) policy to ensure food self-sufficiency, but also to guarantee employment for young people.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t \t\t This initiative involves identifying 100 hectares of land, cultivating it, building living quarters, installing irrigation systems, and supporting entrepreneurs in acquiring input seeds. As part of economic diversification, fostering synergy between scientific research and agricultural development in Congo, and supporting farmers, these Agricultural Development Zones (ZAPs) could have a sub-regional impact.<\/p>\n The program to install 100 protected agricultural areas started in 2023 and will expand across the entire national territory as part of the 2022-2026 national development plan.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t \t\t Four protected agricultural zones have already been established in the departments of Bouenza, L\u00e9koumou, Plateaux, and Cuvette for raising small ruminants and producing staple crops such as cassava, peanuts, maize, and soybeans. Other activities have been undertaken to stimulate agricultural production. The cassava and cocoa sectors have been revitalized through the introduction of high-performance cultivars and the distribution of high-yield cocoa seedlings, respectively.<\/span><\/p>\n In May 2023, the Mayoumina ZAP recorded a yield of 111 tonnes of maize on an area of 100 hectares, of which 58 were devoted to maize, the rest of the hectares being devoted to cassava and soybeans that had already reached maturity.<\/p>\n The first protected agricultural zone (ZAP) in a forest area, Ketta, in the Mokeko district of the Sangha department, was launched in 2023. This ZAP covers an area of over 60 hectares. The 19 groups operating within this first forest ZAP will cultivate several crops, including maize, bananas, and cassava.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t