Ombella-M'Poko

Ombella-M'Poko prefecture surrounds Bangui without containing it—an agricultural hinterland that supplies the capital with food while absorbing its labor and trade connections. The Damara area demonstrates how subsistence economies adapt under stress: maize, formerly grown for household consumption, has become the primary cash crop as farmers respond to capital-area market demand. This represents agricultural transition without mechanization—labor-intensive, low-capital farming that nonetheless generates income flows. Research on maize farmer efficiency in Ombella-M'Poko found that agricultural labor is the key production input, recommending financial institution development to enable farmer investment. The IFAD Ombella-M'Poko Rural Development Project ($4.51 million) and World Bank agricultural development initiatives target this zone, recognizing its role as Bangui's food supply chain. Nationally, agriculture contributes 52% of GDP with 70%+ of population engaged in farming—statistics that make prefectures like Ombella-M'Poko essential despite their lack of mineral resources. The prefecture exemplifies source-sink dynamics in CAR's economic geography: Bangui consumes what Ombella-M'Poko produces, while Ombella-M'Poko depends on Bangui's markets and (limited) institutional presence. The 2024 agricultural recovery—sector growth from 0.3% (2022) to 1.2% (2023)—flowed through zones like this, representing modest stabilization in CAR's economic heartland.