Kinshasa, October 21st, 2026 (CPA).- “The earthworms silently till, nourish and regenerate our soils,” an environmentalist has indicated on Wednesday in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to mark the World Earthworm Day, celebrated on October 21st of each year.
“The earthworms have no tractors, no industrial fertilisers and no laboratories. Yet they silently till, nourish and regenerate our soil. Protecting it means preserving our agriculture, our environment and our food security,” has declared Professor Augustin Nge Okwe, an environmentalist. “Without living soils, there can be no sustainable agriculture, and without sustainable agriculture, there can be no sustainable food security in DRC. Protecting earthworms means protecting the fertility of our land and the livelihoods of millions of Congolese farmers,” he has continued. According to him, earthworms are essential for soil fertility, agricultural production and environmental protection. In particular, they ensure natural soil aeration by burrowing tunnels, they facilitate air circulation, water infiltration and root development.
They contribute to natural fertilisation, help break down dead leaves and other organic matter – thereby improving the availability of nutrients for plants – and they improve soil structure, promote rainwater infiltration and help reduce run-off and the risk of erosion, thereby supporting agricultural productivity and, consequently, food security. Finally, their presence and abundance serve as useful indicators of biological activity and soil quality, although these also depend on local ecological conditions. In summary, according to this expert, earthworms are true natural tillers and silent partners of farmers. According to the environmentalist, there are three main groups of earthworms: epigeic worms, which live on the soil surface, in litter and decomposing organic matter; endogeic worms, which live mainly within the soil and burrow tunnels there; and anecic worms, which burrow deep tunnels and come to the surface to feed.
According to a study carried out between 2017 and 2019 in Mbanza-Ngungu, in Kongo Central, nine species belonging to two families have been identified. Professor Nge has reminded us that to protect earthworms, we must first and foremost protect their habitats – that is, the soil – promote sustainable agriculture, particularly agro ecology, agroforestry, composting and organic fertilisation; limit deep and repetitive ploughing, which disrupts the earthworms’ burrows and habitats; and combat deforestation, uncontrolled vegetation fires, soil erosion and pollution – particularly in regions affected by mining activities – and to encourage farmers to maintain vegetation cover and return some of the crop residues to the soil, “In DRC, we must integrate underground biodiversity into agricultural and environmental policies, strengthen scientific research and raise awareness amongst rural communities,” he has said, before continuing: “Today, my message is addressed to farmers, researchers, public authorities and the entire Congolese population. We must understand that fertile soil is not simply land on which we grow crops. It is a living ecosystem, made up of millions of organisms that work daily to maintain its productivity.” “DRC has immense agricultural potential. But this potential cannot be sustainably valued if we continue to degrade our soils. I therefore call on the public authorities to promote a national policy for restoring soil fertility and to encourage research into underground biodiversity. I also encourage farmers to adopt practices that preserve these precious organisms,” he has concluded.