ETS Grecom’s innovative intervention for a climate resilient agriculture in the DRC
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is at a pivotal moment in its agricultural history. With a commitment to becoming Africa’s breadbasket, the country has launched numerous initiatives to empower its agribusiness sector. These efforts aim to develop the country’s agricultural potential and reduce its economic dependence on the extractive sector. Among the players driving this transformation is ETS Grecom (Green Community Mind), led by Deborah Nzarubara, one of the 8 winners of the 2023 YouthADAPT Challenge. Grecom envisions a world where agriculture and beekeeping contribute to decent incomes and sustainable livelihoods for all stakeholders through green entrepreneurship.
The 2023 YouthADAPT Challenge is a flagship program of the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program (AAAP). Jointly implemented by the African Development Bank Group (AfDB) and the Global Center on Adaptation (GCA), and supported with funds from the African Climate Change Fund (ACCF), the program empowers young women entrepreneurs who leverage Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) technologies to address climate change adaptation for entrepreneurship, and job creation.
The spark igniting Grecom’s vision
Born in a village near Virunga National Park, Deborah Nzarubara’s roots deeply influenced her attachment to nature, sustainable practices, and community involvement. She initially established a small honey treatment unit, which expanded significantly after formalization. Throughout this growth, she prioritized accessibility and quality by utilizing local equipment and incorporating glass recycling.
Grecom addresses critical challenges plaguing the Congolese agricultural sector, including inadequate farming practices, fragmented markets, and limited access to essential resources and information.
Grecom is primarily involved in selling honey and advanced beekeeping equipment. This includes having hives that have incorporated IoT thus giving farmers real-time weather updates to enhance safety during production. Complementing these offerings is the NYUKI TECH platform, which provides subscription services, leveraging big data to offer technical advice to farmers, real-time market information and quality assurance measures.
Grecom uses SMS technology to reach out to farmers living in remote areas, with the aim of filling this information gap by alerting farmers whenever there is a change in temperature or humidity levels. This enables beekeepers to make prior adjustments aimed at protecting their hives from harsh weather conditions thus maximizing honey yields. For instance, beekeepers within Kivu region were able maintain constant supply of this commodity throughout the year after their hives were insulated following receipt of an SMS alert about an impending cold wave. Further, Grecom collaborates extensively with development actors, private enterprises, NGOs, and public services to deliver training on adaptive and climate-resilient agricultural practices.
Driving economic and social change in the DRC
The NYUKI TECH platform has completely changed the hive products market in the DRC. By giving beekeepers access to up-to-date market information such as demand patterns, pricing trends, consumer tastes, among others, the platform has made them more knowledgeable than ever before. This has led to a better organized and more open market which allows beekeepers to negotiate for better prices and respond quickly to changes in the market. In addition to this, Grecom hit a significant milestone, collaborating with over 50 local and international customers and executing more than 120 assignments in beekeeping and agricultural services. The diversification into bee products such as honey wine and beeswax ointments has opened new economic avenues, and thus benefitted beekeepers and created employment opportunities across processing and sales sectors. They have also introduced regenerative beekeeping practices underscoring their commitment to sustainable ecological production, enhancing biodiversity and income diversification for producers.
Looking ahead, with the support of the 2023 YouthADAPT Challenge, Grecom plans to expand across new provinces in the DRC through participation in beekeeping fairs and strategic partnerships within the agricultural value chain, with an initial focus on entering the Chinese market. They aim to establish 7 industrial apiaries to boost production and innovation, alongside a climate research centre and laboratory to enhance product quality and compliance.
With the support of the 2023 YouthADAPT Challenge, the NYUKI TECH Distribution Unit will set up four new collection centres, thus increasing raw material supply by 15% and in turn raise local employment by over 10%, notably benefiting youth and women. Technological upgrades, including an 11th generation ITEL server and JAVA office layer, will support farmers with technical advice to increase production while improving customer engagement and company profitability by up to 10%. Around 3,572 users are expected to receive tailored guidance on climate adaptation and gender equality, fostering informed decision-making.
Moreover, in order to streamline financial transactions among market players, reducing complexities and financial risks associated with traditional payment methods, the company plans to integrate a mobile payment system with options like Airtel Money, Orange Money, and M-Pesa.
Grecom’s dedication to ecological balance, economic growth, and empowering Congolese agricultural community to be more climate resilient and innovative is laying the groundwork for industrializing this sector and creating a more prosperous and resilient future.
To learn more about Grecom visit https://www.grecom-rdc.com/
