Professor Baudouin MICHEL of the University of Liège, Director of ERAIFT and Rector of IFA Yangambi, held a conference in Brussels on Wednesday, 11 January 2023 on the theme of the Democratic Republic of the Congo-paradoxes and urgent and realistic agro-economic transitions. A total of 140 people attended the conference, either in physically or by videoconference.

The speaker's presentation focused firstly on the issues of food insecurity and deficit, territorial disparities and inequity in the distribution of value added in value chains; secondly on the agri-food system in the Five Economic Growth Poles, and thirdly on the conditions necessary for a sustainable agri-economic transition.

To overcome this agricultural paradox, Professor Baudouin Michel proposes a number of solutions in 5 points: (1) the formulation of an effective agricultural policy, (2) the improvement of added value through a complete untaxation of agricultural activities, (3) the opening up of the territory, (4) the combination of vertical (VCA4D) and horizontal (landscape-NATURAFRICA approach) approaches as well as the systemic approach, and (5) the promotion of PPPs in the landscape.

ERAIFT thanks International Parnerships InfoPoint for the invitation. It also expresses its gratitude to the European Union for the support and renewed confidence.