Cabo Verde

Farming and production regions

Maize and beans depend heavily on the rainy season. Irrigated valleys support vegetables, banana, fruit and sugarcane, while Fogo is associated with coffee and viticulture. Livestock and forage connect farming to household resilience. The correct unit of analysis is often an island or watershed: a favourable rain event in one area does not establish adequate water for the whole archipelago.

Processing and added value

Sugarcane is linked especially to traditional distillation of grogue, alongside molasses and local processing. Coffee roasting, fruit preserves, cheese and fish processing contribute to the food economy. These activities must be distinguished from a large integrated sugar factory. The review did not establish a verified COSUMAR sugar-production agreement or operated acreage in Cabo Verde; no such investment is presented as fact.

Forests and ecotourism

Santo Antão's cultivated valleys, Santiago's Serra Malagueta and Fogo's volcanic landscapes connect rural livelihoods with walking and nature tourism. The Fogo and Maio biosphere reserves support conservation and community development. Forested mountain areas and planted woodlands should not be confused with extensive tropical rainforest. Water conservation, slope protection and fire prevention are central to landscape management.

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Cities, ports and markets

Praia is the capital and a major market; Assomada links Santiago's farming interior with commerce. Mindelo is a port and service centre, while Ribeira Grande and Porto Novo serve Santo Antão. São Filipe connects Fogo's agricultural zones. Sal and Boa Vista are important tourism outlets, but supplying them requires a realistic inter-island transport and refrigeration plan.

Products and trade opportunities

Potential business areas include irrigation, reservoirs and water monitoring, vegetable aggregation, coffee, goat-cheese value chains and food preservation. Hotel procurement can support local farming when volume, quality and delivery timing are agreed in advance. Business cases should calculate the cost of water and transport per saleable kilogram, rather than evaluating a crop solely by its farm-gate selling price.

Risks and development priorities

Erratic rainfall, soil erosion, labour costs and migration affect production. The preliminary 2025 maize estimate is sharply lower than the 2024 figure, illustrating volatility rather than a stable export surplus. Historical RTC reporting mentions 1,034 hectares of sugarcane on Santo Antão, but the article does not establish a current survey year. That number is historical context, not current national acreage or company-owned land.

Recent figures and comparability

The 2025 maize figure is a preliminary FAO estimate, rounded to about 1,100 tonnes. Inforpress reports a more precise preliminary figure of 1,074 tonnes and approximately 4,900 tonnes for 2024; the two levels of rounding should not be treated as contradictory final results. The bean figure refers to the 2025/26 campaign. No current verified COSUMAR acreage is available.

Production, exports, area and growth rates are different indicators and must not be added together. Scroll the table horizontally on small screens.