The analysis of the 12th IPC cycle conducted in DRC covered the entire rural areas of the national territory. The work performed by the technical groups showed that:

• 7 territories are in Emergency (Phase 4) in the provinces of Katanga (Manono, Mitwaba and Pweto), of Maniema (Punia), of South Kivu (Shabunda), of the Province Orientale (Irumu), and of Equateur (Boende);
• 61 territories are entirely or partially in Crisis (Phase 3);
• 65 territories are under pressure and stressed (Phase 2);
• 12 territories have not been classified due to insufficient proof

With the exception of Boende Territory, where the Emergency Phase is a consequence of the Ebola outbreak, the other localities are classified in Phase 4 due to the armed conflicts and associated violence, which have induced important population movements and have greatly affected the population’s livelihoods.

In total, the number of people facing an acute food security crisis (Phases 3 and 4) is estimated at 6.5 million people in the areas that were classified under Crisis. This represents an overall reduction of 0.5 million people comparatively to the preceding IPC cycles, but with an increase by about 523,000 people for those under Emergency.

The main driving factors of the food security situation are:

• shocks due to the Ebola epidemic (Djera sector is the epicenter of the Ebola outbreak inside the Boende Territory in Equateur province.)
• attacks of the ADF/NALU armed group in the Beni Territory in North Kivu
• incursions of elements of the FRPI armed group caused important population movements in the southern part of Irumu Territory and Orientale Province.
• frequent clashes between these armed groups and the FARDC;
• community tensions in the Ruzizi plains and the succession conflicts in Ninja (West Kabare), Kalonge (Kalehe) and Kalole 
• persistence of the inter-communal conflicts between Bantu-Pygmies in Manono in Katanga provinces,
• armed conflicts and Maï Maï activism burning villages and causing population movements and displacements in Pweto, Mitwaba, Kalemie, Kabalo, Malemba Nkulu and Nyunzu.
• malnutrition and high mortality in an environment of structural poverty

Finally, the areas in crisis (phase 3) are, among others, characterized by:

• repeated attacks of armed groups
• burning of villages and crop fields
• movement of families towards extraction sites and protected areas
• recurrence of epizootic and phytopathology outbreaks
• grave structural problems
• a general context of poverty with important impacts on the food security (poor scores of food consumption, poor food diversity, malnutrition exceeding emergency 
• levels, loss of livelihoods assets and means of production).

Actions to save lives and avoid the collapse of the means of livelihoods must be undertaken in those areas in emergency phase (phase 4) in the Provinces of Katanga, South Kivu, Maniema, Orientale and Equateur. 

Those areas in crisis (phase 3), the objective will be to protect means of livelihoods, prevent malnutrition, and prevent deaths by combining emergency activities and appropriate early recovery programs adapted to the local context of each area/territory.

Besides, the territories in the Stressed phase require multi-sectorial programs capable of transforming the local economy of the region and to create wealth.