Cape Verde, a group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, is located west of Senegal in West Africa. It has a total area of 4,033 sq km. In comparison, Cape Verde is slightly smaller than French Polynesia, or about the size of the state of Rhode Island in the U.S. The country’s climate is temperate, with warm, dry summers and low precipitation. Of Cape Verde’s total land area, 11 percent is utilized for cultivated crops, while permanent crops such as fruit- and nut-bearing trees represent less than one percent of the total land area. Agricultural issues facing Cape Verde include soil erosion and deforestation. The country also suffers from prolonged droughts and volcanic and seismic activity. Cape Verde’s population is approximately 430,000. Its economy is service-oriented, with commerce, transportation, tourism and public services accounting for about three-fourths of GDP. The country’s primary exports include fuel, shoes and garments. And although nearly 70 percent of the population lives in rural areas that could support increased food production, the share of food production in GDP is only about nine percent. Consequently, the nation is highly dependent on agricultural imports. Cape Verde’s economy is better than many countries in the region, yet 30 percent of the population lives in poverty. Cape Verde's agricultural products include bananas, maize, beans, sweet potatoes, sugarcane, coffee, peanuts and fish. The North and West Africa Division is responsible for IFDC activities in Cape Verde.
Current/Recent IFDC Projects in Cape Verde
- Marketing Inputs Regionally (MIR Plus), 2009-2013
MIR Plus is improving policy and regulatory environments in the 15 nations of the Economic Community of West African (ECOWAS). The project is increasing the use and efficiency of agro-inputs, improving the availability of technical and market information and using technology to link producers’ organizations with agro-dealers. The project links 2.23 million farmers to agro-dealers who will help train and supply the farmers. The project should increase maize and rain-fed rice yields by 20 percent for targeted farmers in Ghana and Nigeria, and increase irrigated rice yields in Burkina Faso, Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal and Sierra Leone by 20 percent.
DONOR: Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA), the Netherlands' Directorate-General for International Cooperation (DGIS)
Recent IFDC Projects in Cape Verde
- Marketing Inputs Regionally (MIR), 2002-2008
The MIR project increased the affordability and accessibility of quality inputs to targeted smallholders in West Africa, and provided technical support and training for farmers and dealers. MIR developed regional and national regulatory frameworks, supported the advancement of farmer and agro-dealer associations, facilitated dialogue along the value chain and implemented sustainable development of the cotton agro-input sub-sector.
DONOR: Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA), the Netherlands' Directorate-General for International Cooperation (DGIS)
Cape Verde Information
Cape Verde Articles
MIR Plus (Taken from IFDC Report Volume 36, No. 2)