Water Productivity: Farmer Interviews


So the following two days were filled with interviewing farmers (in different municipalities and of different backgrounds and resources). And to be honest, it was the most useful thing we've done/seen here. A lot of people can talk and read about practices in Cape Verde but it is entirely different to be there to experience it and talk with the people directly. I believe "going to the source" is the most useful way of understanding anything new. So that's what we did for three days this week.

We started off close to the office, speaking with two farmers (both of whom are allowing us to use their names in publications). The first, clearly, had experience and resources with farmer and proudly proclaimed he was the one to teach and start strawberry farming on the island. Brief profile (or take-aways):
  • 6 hectares of very hilly land (boy, did we walk...); 3 wells and 5 tanks with programming system for irrigation
  • Believes government should have more dams: says one good rainstorm can fill a dam in 3hrs and there are no dams in higher areas (so no access to dam water)
  • Grows all kinds of plants plus grogo distillery
  • 1 of 1st 3 farmers to use drip irrigation because government subsidized ⅔ of price → uses only gota-gota
  • Helped and taught start strawberry farming on island. Does demonstrations too. 
  • Buys plants from hydroponics center because they’re “better”
We did not spend too much time with the second farmer as he was busy and we were not able to see his two-hectares. However, he did sit to speak with us and give us his opinions on gota-gota and how he farms. He also offered us sugar cane juice - which is absolutely delicious - and a taste of homemade "grogo" (rum in English; God have mercy on those drinking cups and bottles of that!) Overall, a really good first day of interviews and we were able to get real-life, first-hand opinions and knowledge on the water situation here.

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