Speaking to the press on the sidelines of a recent field visit to the municipalities of Santa Cruz and São Lourenço dos Órgãos, under the framework of the China–FAO–Cape Verde South–South Co-operation project, Cape Verde’s Minister of Agriculture and Environment, Gilberto Silva, highlighted the progress achieved in the training of farmers and technical staff, as well as in the testing of new production techniques.

According to the minister, the project — valued at approximately 1.7 million US dollars and spanning three years — covers areas such as crop farming, livestock production and integrated pest management, in addition to the introduction of new crops and agricultural technologies.

He further noted that the results obtained so far are regarded as “positive”, which is why Cape Verde intends to request an extension of the project from its international partners.

For his part, China’s Ambassador to Cape Verde, Zhang Yang, underscored the importance of bilateral co-operation and expressed readiness to continue supporting the development of Cape Verde’s agricultural sector.

The diplomat added that agricultural co-operation between the two countries has strengthened over the years and could yield tangible benefits for Cape Verdean farmers.

(Source: Inforpress, on 26 February)