Warrantage - Opportunity to finance Agro- Forestry-Pastoral Activities on the Ruzizi Plain in the Province of South-Kivu in Democrzatic Republic of Congo

This study highlights the nature and specificities of these activities, while identifying the constraints faced by smallholder farmers, livestock breeders, and traders in accessing finance. The objective of this study is to provide a comparative overview of agro-forestry-pastoral policies and economic models in force in the Ruzizi Plain in the Democratic Republic of Congo and in rural areas of the Republic of Burundi, highlighting the crucial role of financial institutions, such as banks, microfinance institutions, and agricultural cooperatives. These institutions are vital for agricultural development and the effective implementation of the warrantage system. This study adopts a comparative method to better understand the differences and similarities between two neighboring rural realities. It allows us to assess the impact of an innovation (warrantage) in one context (Burundi) and to verify the feasibility of its implementation in another context (Ruzizi Plain, DRC). This research also aims to understand how the warrantage mechanism would influence agro-forestry-pastoral activities and the perceptions of farmers and herders regarding financial challenges in the Ruzizi Plain. It also aims to understand to what extent warrantage would improve the ability of farmers, herders, and traders to invest in agricultural activities. This is our research question. The overall hypothesis of our study is that warrantage has a significant impact on the financial and food security and productivity of farmers, herders, and traders by improving access to credit and strengthening the security of their activities.