Location

Cape Verde consists of 10 islands which are divided into the Barlavento and the Sotavento groups. More background information about Cape Verde ...

Opportunities for Biosaline Agriculture in Cape Verde 

There are five main areas of vulnerability in the country from: (1) agricultural production, (2) dependency on import, (3) natural environment, (4) remote situation, and (5) external help.
These vulnerabilities explain the poverty problem in Cape Verde, making the fight against poverty the main goal of the national policy.

The characterization of Cape Verde presents a favourable scenario for studying Biosaline Agriculture possibilities:
• The country lacks renewable sources of fresh water and is often subject to droughts;
• The pressure on resources is increasing as a result of the growth of population and tourism;
• Heavy groundwater exploitation leads to long term lowering of groundwater levels, intrusion of seawater in coastal areas, and subsequent increase of salinizatio (water and land).
• Cape Verde is heavily dependent on food and fodder imports;
• Poverty in rural areas is severe and associated with the low standard of existing agriculture.