A linear programming analysis of irrigated agriculture on the island of Santiago, Republic of Cape Verde

Abstract

Agriculture in Cape Verde is severely constrained by a harsh physical environment, and large amounts of foreign aid are required to meet demand for food. Policy-makers believe that the development of irrigated farming offers the most potential for increasing food production, requiring a transition from the dominant irrigated crop, sugar cane, to food crops. Linear programming techniques are used to model a representative farm on the island of Santiago. Water constraints are varied parametrically, showing that revenues are extremely sensitive to frequency of irrigation, and that the dominance of low-profit crops is explained by unreliable and long watering intervals. The shift from cane to more profitable food crops will therefore require water reform aimed at increasing irrigation frequency and improving its reliability. Significant improvements in food production and farm incomes can be achieved even considering present supplies of water and land.