Case study: Sharing the fruits of our labour in Cape Verde

Published on the official EC website in 2016, the story Sharing the fruits of our labour in Cape Verde is paired to the project overview ofRecovery of banana production and diversification of agricultural production on Santiago Island, Cape Verde.

In the past, Cape Verde's horticulture sector was a substantial source of nutritional and economic sustenance in this resource-poor archipelago. Banana production in particular allowed local farmers to secure income and provide for local communities. However, most plantations succumbed to drought, pollution and disease in the 1990s and have been threatening livelihoods, socioeconomic development and food security. The EU supported the re-launching of the banana and horticulture production on Santiago Island,through a low-cost, high impact initiative, implemented in cooperation with locals. By reducing extreme poverty, malnutrition and child mortality, the programme is reinforcing Cape Verde's success in contributing to the Millennium Development Goals.

The story can also be downloaded as a PDF here. It is also available in French and Portuguese.