Africa-Press – Cape verde. Minister Gilberto Silva announced today a climate and environmental program worth 750 million escudos, aimed at strengthening climate resilience through hydro-agricultural projects, renewable energies, modern irrigation, and improved water management in Cape Verde.
The Minister of Agriculture and Environment provided this information during his intervention at the opening of the parliamentary debate, indicating that the program, already approved by the Government, includes more than one hundred hydro-agricultural and hydro-pastoral projects.
He added that it covers water mobilization infrastructure, expansion of modern irrigation, use of renewable energies, improved agricultural varieties, and farmer training.
“This is a strategic investment whose execution does not depend on the results of agricultural campaigns,” he emphasized.
Gilberto Silva explained that the country has been facing extreme weather events with increasing frequency, including prolonged droughts, floods, and intense rainfall such as that recorded in recent days.
In this context, he said, it is fundamental to invest in structural adaptation measures: “The emergency response is important, but long-term resilience is the only sustainable path.”
According to the minister, the investments already made have allowed the creation of more than 111 hectares of new irrigated areas and the enhancement of existing agricultural perimeters, in addition to progress in the construction of the new 100-hectare agricultural perimeter in Gamboesa, Porto Novo, with the capacity to house approximately 400 farmers.
“The impact will be greater production, higher income, and more rural employment,” he assured.
Gilberto Silva also emphasized that Cape Verde is strengthening its water security through the diversification of water sources. Groundwater mobilization for agriculture increased from 27 to 49 million cubic meters between 2016 and 2024, and the use of treated wastewater already reaches 2 million cubic meters per year.
He noted that the country also has 143 solar parks associated with water mobilization and plans to reach a capacity of 2.4 million cubic meters per year in desalination for agricultural purposes by 2025.
Regarding public water supply, the minister recalled that average daily production has doubled since 2016, increasing from 43 to 94 liters per person, and that population coverage by the network has risen to 73.8%, with more than 43,000 new household connections.
In the environmental field, Gilberto Silva mentioned the expansion of protected areas, the implementation of the plastic law, the strengthening of loggerhead turtle conservation, and the strengthening of partnerships with civil society organizations.
He also emphasized that Cape Verde now has essential climate governance instruments, such as the Climate Portal, the National Climate Transparency System, and the NDC 3.0, recently approved by the UN.
The minister also announced the regularization of 787 workers in his ministry with precarious employment contracts, describing the measure as “a historic milestone.”
Gilberto Silva concluded by assuring that the Climate and Environmental Program “strengthens the country’s adaptive capacity” and reflects the Government’s commitment to a more resilient, efficient agriculture that is less dependent on climate fluctuations.
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