How to revive farming in Central African Republic
After years of civil conflict, farms in the Central African Republic were devastated. The International Trade Centre (ITC) has piloted efforts to bring in farm equipment and create new cooperatives. Four new studies are looking at how to expand those successes across the nation’s 15 million hectares of arable land.
The Central African Republic (CAR) is landlocked, and among the world’s least developed nations. That brings unique challenges for developing farms and food systems. These studies will equip CAR with a strategy for introducing more machinery to farms, while creating new strategies to support the growth of maize, oil palm, and poultry businesses.
A national strategy to boost agricultural mechanization
Through the ITC project known as PAPEUR Rural, we are at the forefront of mechanizing farming in CAR.
The new study, begun in February 2025 by consulting firm KPMG, will look at how to expand that work across the country. The study will inform a sustainable mechanization policy, set for completion this year.
One of PAPEUR Rural’s objectives is to promote entrepreneurship by organizing farmers into cooperatives. So far, 33 cooperatives have been created for maize farmers, one for poultry and one for palm oil.
Since May 2024, these cooperatives have been trained in maize and oil palm processing to manage the increased production driven by mechanization.
Now PAPEUR Rural is studying how to better structure these farmers and the businesses that work with them. By the end of the year, CAR will have national reference documents to monitor and ensure the viability of the maize, oil palm, and poultry value chains—from production and processing to commercialization.
This lays the groundwork for making farms and food businesses more efficient.
PAPEUR Rural is a government-led programme funded by the European Union since 2020.
