Praia, Jan. 23, 2026 (Lusa) - Corn production in 2025 was almost 40% below the average for the last five years in Cabo Verde, according to preliminary estimates released by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations.
"Corn production in 2025 [in Cabo Verde] is estimated at around 1,100 tonnes, almost 40% below the (already low) average for the previous five years, reflecting the negative impact" of weather conditions, as well as "the reduction in planted area," the FAO said in its latest summary of the Global Information and Early Warning System on Food and Agriculture (GIEWS).
The reduction in planted areas is part of a broader trend "of abandonment of agricultural activities in some regions of the country, driven by irregular rainfall patterns, the high cost of agricultural labour in recent years and the emigration of young people," the organisation explains.
Maize is practically the only cereal grown in the archipelago, forms part of the daily diet of part of the population, and the harvest was completed in December.
The rainy season, which normally lasts from August to October, was "erratic" and the accumulated totals "were below average".
According to the same bulletin, consulted on Friday by Lusa, prices for locally produced maize rose slightly (up to 5%) between October and December.
Prices for other important staple cereals, including imported wheat flour and rice, remained virtually stable during the same period.
FAO estimates point to around 37,800 people in a situation of acute food insecurity between October and December 2025 in Cabo Verde, "slightly lower than the 41,300 people (8% of the population analysed) who, according to estimates, would need humanitarian assistance in the same period of 2024," it added.
The organisation points to "concerns" about the food security situation of families affected by the 2025 floods, which disrupted livelihoods and damaged critical infrastructure on the islands of São Vicente, Santo Antão (in the district of Porto Novo), São Nicolau and Santiago (in the districts of Tarrafal, São Miguel, Santa Cruz and Santa Catarina), prompting the government to declare a state of emergency.
Initial projections indicate that "around 33,500 people (7% of the population analysed) are likely to face acute food insecurity" in the period between harvests, from June to August 2026.
LFO/AYLS // AYLS
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