Praia, May 28, 2026 (Lusa) - The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) is supporting the candidacy of the Cabo Verde island of Santo Antão for Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) status, the organisation announced on Thursday.

FAO Cabo Verde said that a team from the organisation is currently visiting the island to participate in the annual planning meeting for the "Terras Vivas" (Living Lands) project. The visit aims to strengthen the organisation's contribution to the GIAHS application process.

National stakeholders officially resumed work on Cabo Verde's application file at a June 2025 meeting. 

The FAO has since provided technical assistance and financial backing for the candidacy under the framework of the "Terras Vivas" project.

The process involves conducting a participatory diagnosis of the agricultural system, collecting and analysing data, building institutional and community capacity, and compiling the official application file.

National and local partners expect to complete all required stages of the process by 2027.

The project is led by the Associação Amigos da Natureza (Friends of Nature Association) and the international non-governmental organisation Centro de Estudos Rurais e Agrícolas Internacional (CERAI). Funding comes from both the European Union (EU) and the FAO.

Cabo Verde intends to propose Santo Antão based on its unique agricultural systems featuring "Atlantic terraces". These include rainfed crops such as maize and beans, as well as irrigated crops such as sugarcane, bananas, fruits, tubers, and vegetables.

"The work plan for the candidacy is currently under preparation and will be further developed during a meeting in Ribeira Grande," the organisation detailed. This meeting brings partners together to analyse project execution, discuss methodologies, and define priorities for 2026 and 2027.

The meeting schedule features field visits to supported communities and local initiatives across the island.

LFO/RYOL // ADB.

Lusa