In Tenke Fungurume area where TFM copper-cobalt mine is located, agriculture is the most important livelihood of local residents. In order to ensure the food security of local residents and increase the income of local farmers, TFM has implemented a series of agricultural stimulus programs through its community development department. Today, we would like to introduce one of the most successful agricultural projects launched by TFM: the Corn Credit Program. 

Corn is the staple food of local people. The Corn Credit program is designed to teach local farmers to become self-sufficient: at the start of each cropping season, inputs are given on credit to registered farmers by TFM community development department. At the harvest season, the farmers need to reimburse the amount of corn proportional to the amount of inputs received, this makes it possible to reinvest in the program and expand the number of beneficiaries. Customary chiefs in villages are involved and play an educational role throughout the process, and TFM agronomists provide necessary technical support to beneficiary farmers.

At the end of the 2019 growing season, the farmers reimbursed nearly 18,000 bags of corn, or nearly 900 tonnes to TFM under this program. For the 2019 cropping year, the sown area was 796 ha, there were 757 planters registered, including 240 women.