Meet Victor Yemba

I am from Democratic Republic of Congo. I currently live in Seattle, WA, and maintain strong connections to my home and my people. I'm very passionate about food sovereignty and am a motivated activist in my local community.

For many years I have promoted the value of organic sustainable agriculture, locally grown foods, customs, and traditions. I'm a strong advocate for the rights of local people to make choices related to their foods and farming practices. I’ve witnessed the self-sufficiency and independence that's realized through teaching farming along with the principles of food sovereignty. I work to further biodiversity and to ensure environmental and local health. In sharing my passion, others are inspired to find joy and satisfaction in farming too.

I grew up in a small village in DRC. At an early age, I was taught sustainable methods of agriculture from my grandfather. My passion for farming grew as I discovered first-hand the importance /benefits of growing our own food. It sustained us through multiple periods of hardship. My homeland is in crisis, due to the many armed rebels groups that continue to fight to control the region. There were several times when we were forced to flee our homes and hide out in the jungle, even for up to 6 months at a time. Our survival there hinged on our ability to grow food. Among the many hardships people face there, food insecurity might be the most crucial.

I became acquainted with Slow Food while studying at the college. Their mission of Good, Clean and Fair food for everyone matched my sensibilities and personal passion. I joined Slow Food and started a new garden project, part of their “10,000 Gardens in Africa “ initiative. As Regional Coordinator, I successfully managed and grew that community organization for 6 years, all while working within an active armed conflict zone.

I was invited to be a spokesperson for the Slow Food Regional Coordinator on multiple occasions, both locally and internationally, and in multiple languages. It’s been my work to educate and promote awareness of threats to our system, due to climate change and big agriculture influences. I’ve promoted the principle of food sovereignty and Afro ecology in these forums, in the field, on social media and French channel TV and Radio.