Ribeira Seca, Cape Verde

Contact the Ribeira Seca study site team

2010-11-25T12:53:21Z

Institute description

Institute full name:	Instituto Nacional de Investigação e Desenvolvimento Agrário
Institute acronym:	INIDA
Institute profile:	Founded in 1979, INIDA has as main obligations the research and development in the field of agrarian technologies and natural resources management; the diffusion of scientific and technical knowledge available for the agriculture, forestry, husbandry and environmental sectors; the professional education and higher education in the agriculture, forestry, husbandry and environmental areas. INIDA has special responsibilities in the combat to desertification in Cape Verde, having produced the existing studies on desertification, erosion and soil and water conservation. INIDA has two Departments: (1) Department for Agriculture and Husbandry; (2) Environmental Sciences Department. Being the research and development agency of the Cape Verde Government for agriculture and environment, INIDA is the main responsible for the erosion and desertification studies in the Country, and the local focal point for the UNCCD. Close relations will be established with other Governmental Institutions with relevance for the desertification combat. Furthermore, INIDA will establish links to the local authorities whenever necessary to implement field trials and for dissemination purposes.
Website	http://www.inida.cv/ (link expired)
Address	INIDA PO Box 84 Praia Cabo Verde
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Personnel

Name	Contact details	Key qualifications	Photo
Isaurinda Baptista	ibaptista@inida.gov.cv	Overall team coordinator under DESIRE, INIDA's Director of Research, she is specialist in soils with a wide experience in field and laboratory soil research.
Jacques de Pina Tavares		MSc in erosion risk cartography (Dijon), he is finishing his PhD in Soil Erosion quantification (Dijon). Ing. Jacques Tavares will act as Technical and Scientific Coordinator under DESIRE
Isildo Gomes	isildogomes@inida.gov.cv	Has a degree in Biology by the Coimbra University and a Master in Natural Resources Management by the ISA-UTLisbon. He is finishing a Ph.D. in the same institution. He devoted most of his professional life to Nature conservation, being one of the main responsible for the implementation of Nature Protected Areas in Cape Verde. He is INIDA's President.
Amarildo dos Reis		Has a degree on Watershed Management/Hydrology (Arizona). Under DESIRE he will work on soil and water degradation processes monitoring and soil and water management techniques.
João Moreno Spencer		Is a specialist in Agro-meteorology and in GIS and Remote Sensing. He has a degree given by the AGRHYMET- Niamey, and a Post-graduation in GIS by IAO- Italia. He was the responsible for the ROSELTE project at INIDA. He is the responsible for the Climate monitoring and analysis and for Remote Sensing under DESIRE.
João Olímpio Mendes de Carvalho		Has a degree in Agronomy with interests in soils and agro-chemistry given by the (Moscow), and a MSc in Geography, (Remote sensing and soil conservation by the Oregon State University). His interests lie on soil conservation and soil salinization processes and amendment.

Study site location & description

2008-01-15T16:45:42Z

The Ribeira Seca study site is located in central Santiago island, Cape Verde.

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Most of the Cape Verde islands register less than 100 mm of rainfall per year, and even the southernmost islands rarely exceed 250 mm/yr. Life is only possible in Cape Verde due the amenity of the Atlantic Ocean and the efforts of the local inhabitants on soil and water conservation.

Santiago Island is the biggest and most densely populated island in the Cape Verde Archipelago, and is packed with soil and conservation structures which help to manage very fragile ecosystems. Despite these efforts, the risk of soil erosion and degradation is very high, since all the soils available are used for agriculture, regardless of their slope angle, aspect or quality. High erosion rates occur during heavy rainfall events, and are considered the most critical environmental and agricultural problem in Cape Verde. The high erosion rates are closely related to the agricultural practices used. Cape Verde has been developing an overwhelming effort to reduce erosion processes, by increasing the afforested area and specific soil and water conservation measures. These include measures for sloping areas and for flat areas, namely the use of mechanic structures such as terraces, dikes, as well as biological structures.

Cape Verde represents therefore one of the places on earth where environmental conditions pose enormous challenges to human activities. The fact that almost half a million persons live in ten small islands under such conditions indicates the importance and relevance of soil and water conservation techniques in combating desertification.

More details ... read the full study site description and an overview of all sites
	Read the full study site description
»Comparative overview of all study sites

Stakeholders and their sustainability goals

2011-11-08T14:07:53Z

The area and people
This site is subjected to problems of movement of mass due to the strong rains and of the drought, that causes the disappearance of the rain fed crops, the soil erosion and the drying out of wells.

Added value of DESIRE for stakeholders
The time spent on the ground allows establishing a reliable relation between the researchers and the local stakeholders. This ensures that the strategy which to be tested will be really wanted by the local people.

Study site stakeholder workshops
About forty persons participated to the workshop. Were present, farmers, breeders, representatives of OCB, local elected representatives (2 representatives, technicians water and natural resources of 3 municipalities), a representative of the ministry of agriculture and one NGO (the OMCV). During the workshop, the researchers felt a big expectation of the local populations. Made mobilize these actors gives them a moral obligation as for the results of the DESIRE project.

Limitations for spontaneous implementation of soil and water conservation practices
The solutions are too expensive for these poor populations. Absence of a public policy currently, there was a strong implication of the state since 10-15 years but they didn’t maintain their buildings.

Stakeholder groups
Government/Project staff

National: researchers from INIDA and Uni CV
Local: Municipalities and local delegation of MADRRM
- Municipality of São Domingos
- Municipality of São Lourenço dos Órgãos
- Municipality of Santa Cruz
- Delegation of the Ministry of Agriculture of São Domingos
- Delegation of the Ministry of Agriculture of Santa Cruz

Public administration

agriculture is under the responsibility of DGASP
forestry is under the responsibility of DGASP
land is under the responsibility of DGASP
water is under the responsibility of INGRH
livestock is under the responsibility of DGASP
environment is under the responsibility of DGA

Research Centers and Universities

INIDA, Uni CV; University of Jean Piaget

NGOs / Community based organizations

Several Non Governmental and Community-based Organizations are engaged in the issues related to environmental management. Some of them are:

Nº	Non Governmental Organizations	Target zone
1	The Friends of Nature	São Vicente Island
2	ADAD - Association for Environment Defense and Development	National
3	Garça Vermelha (Heron Purple)	Santiago Island
4	Capverdian Women Organization - OMCV	National
5	Citi Habitat	National
6	MORABI (Association of Women’s Self-promotion and Development)	National
7	ACACEA	National
8	OASIS (Organization of Rural Associations of Santiago’s Island)	Santiago Island
9	Sol & Vento (Sun & Wind)	National
10	Fórum Permanente para a Educação/Desenvolvimento (Permanent Forum for Education/Development)	National
11	AJOPOP (Association of Population Reporters)	National
12	OAF (Organization of Rural Associations of Fogo’s Island)	Fogo Island
13	CARITAS	National
14	OADISA (Organization of Rural Associations of Santo Antão’s Island)	Santo Antão Island
15	Bornefonden	National
16	Platform of NGOs	National

Media (journalists):

AJOPOP (Association of Population Reporters)
Rural Television and radio program – Há mar há Terra

Schools: There are several schools (EBI and High schools) in the study site

Land users (Groups of land users organized in local Association)

Ago Longueira
Agro Orgãos
Agro Laje
Agro Montanhinha
Agro Orgaos Pequeno
Agro Amo Bom
Agro Banana
Agro Godim
Agro São Cristovão
Agro Ribeira Seca
Agro PRI Seca

Sustainability goals

Goal 1	Stop soil erosion, decreasing the loss of soil and runoff in the steep slopes
Goal 2	Recovery of soil fertility and increase productivity in the long-term
Goal 3	Improvement of soil characteristics (water storage capacity, depth of top soil, organic matter content)
Goal 4	Decrease of slope gradient
Goal 5	Improvement of water and soil quality downstream -Stop the salinization
Goal 6	Improvement of water catchments, decreasing runoff
Goal 7	Improvement of plant cover
Goal 8	Achievement of community awareness regarding the necessity for soil and water conservation

Source: expert estimate, study site leader, policy documents, field visit, research results.

More details ...

»Stakeholders & their sustainability goals - overview

Drivers, policies and laws

2011-11-08T14:14:36Z

The reasons for desertification and land degradation occurring can be environmental (for example due to the climate or soil conditions), economic, due to the actions of people or, most often, due to a combination of factors. The resulting degradation may be temporary or permanent.

To help understand this complex picture it can be helpful to think in terms the dominant socio-economic and environmental forces that are driving the process of land degradation. These place pressures on the land which have particular impacts. Human society may have already made responses to those impacts, or may have knowledge about how they could respond. Decisions about which responses to make may also be governed by a range of international, national or local policy regulations and agreements.

In the Ribeira Seca study site, the same stakeholder workshop and questionnaires that were used to identify existing and potential response strategies (»Identifying strategies: Stakeholder workshop 1) also discussed and identified these driving forces; pressures; impacts; and the policy and regulation environment. This information was then used to inform the choice of »Field experiments, the scenarios used in »Simulated biophysical impact of remediation strategies and their financial viability, and context for the study site-specific »Policy brief recommendations.

Select main driver

Socio-economic drivers
Environmental drivers
Pressures
Impacts
Responses
Policies

More details ...

»Drivers and policy context for all study sites

Gender-related issues

2011-03-03T14:14:21Z

More details ... download the posters

Land degradation and conservation maps

2009-06-08T13:02:52Z

The WOCAT tool for mapping land degradation and sustainable land management has been used in the Zeuss Koutine study site. Using the tool, an interdisciplinary team of specialists has recorded observations of land degradation, sustainable land management and recommendations for further prevention or mitigation on a land use base map.

Select map type

Comments

Map version: 11Jan12

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»Assessment and mapping methodology; summary results from all study sites

Evaluating the desertification risk assessment tool with local experimental results

2013-09-30T12:13:38Z

Author: Victor Jetten

Introduction
Cape Verde has been facing to severe environmental problems impact for the people living in the island. In order to control desertification (drought, storm runoff, erosion) the government has been taking actions regarding biodiversity conservation, ecosystem management and better valorisation of water resources. Slanting terraces as a form of conservation are widespread, but in the dry climate vegetation cover is low and the terraces do not always have the desired effect. The experiment aims at improving the system with vegetation barriers.

Desertification indices
The desertification risk calculated is water erosion. The calculated risk is moderate (3.23). Introducing slanting terraces and runoff barriers lowers the risk to moderate (2.94) if the angle of the terraces is low (< 2%). When the edge of the terraces are planted this is translated to an increase in cover and runoff control measures the risk is further decreased to moderate (2.51).

Conclusions
The desertification risk assessment tool correctly identifies the risk for water erosion in this area but the effect of the terraces is not very clear, a lowering of the slope angle seems to have very little effect.

More details ... general conclusions and results from other study sites

»Evaluating the Desertification Risk Assessment Tool with experimental results

Identifying strategies: Stakeholder Workshop 1

2008-11-03T11:48:13Z

A report on the results of the first DESIRE stakeholder workshop on "Land degradation and desertification - existing and potential prevention and mitigation strategies" held at Centro de Formação Agrária (Agriculture Training Center), São Jorge, 4 to 6 March 2008

Authors: Jacques Tavares, and Amarildo dos Reis

Why work in the Ribeira Seca watershed?

Many studies have been elaborated in this particular watershed;
Many projects has been implemented on this site;
It contains all bio-climatic zones of Santiago (and the country
too);
Better availability of data;
Good population number and distribution (pressure on
resources)
Inserted in an area of greater soil degradation, through water
erosion ;
Has a great role in livestock raising and agriculture (in terms of
rainfed and irrigated);
The most affected bu soil and water salinization;
Home of one of the largest Forest Perimeter (Monte Tchota),
and one the greater biodiversity reserve in the country ;

Biomass cycle explanation and conclusions

Water cycle explanation and conclusions

List of stakeholders and their influence and interest in regard to sustainable land management

List of local indicators for land degradation and conservation

Evaluation made by local & external stakeholders

More details ... download the full report and poster and see results and general conclusions from other study sites
	English: WP3.1 Stakeholder Workshop 1: Cape Verde (report) (3.14 MB) Português: WP3.1 Stakeholder Workshop 1: Cape Verde (report)_PT (1.86 MB)
	WP3.1 Stakeholder Workshop 1: Cape Verde (results poster) (132.31 kB)
»Identifying strategies: Stakeholder Workshop 1 methodology and summary results from all study sites

Evaluating strategies: technologies and approaches documented

2011-02-22T14:11:26Z

Stakeholder Workshop 1 identified a number of existing or potential strategies to combat desertification and land degradation in the Ribeira Seca study site. In the months following the workshop these strategies (technologies or approaches) were documented and evaluated in a structured and standardised way and their descriptions were entered in the WOCAT Technologies and Approaches databases in order to share the information with other DESIRE sites as well as globally.

For details of all Technologies and Approaches documented in the WOCAT Database (from the DESIRE study sites and from other sites worldwide), see

For those relating to this study site, click on the Name of technology or Name of approach to go directly to the descriptions in the database.

WOCAT Technologies Database

Country

Code

Name of technology

Author

Cape Verde

CPV03

»Afforestation

Varela Larissa, INIDA

Cape Verde

CPV06

»Aloe vera living barriers

»Barrières végétales d’Aloe vera

Varela Larissa, INIDA

WOCAT Approaches Database

Country	Code	Name of approach	Author
Cape Verde	CPV01	»Training, information and awareness raising »Formation, information et sensibilisation	Tavares Jacques, Instituto Nacional de Investigação e Desenvolvimento Agrário (INIDA)
Cape Verde	CPV02	»Protection des versants	Tavares Jacques, Instituto Nacional de Investigação e Desenvolvimento Agrário (INIDA)
Cape Verde	CPV03	»Arborisation	Tavares Jacques, INIDA

Selecting strategies: Stakeholder Workshop 2

2009-05-21T17:25:15Z

Results and conclusions from Stakeholder Workshop 2 "Selection and decision on technologies/approaches to be implemented", held in the Ribeira Seca Watershed, Santiago Island, Cape Verde, March 18th – 20th, 2009.

Authors: Jacques Tavares and Isaurinda Baptista.

The workshop methodology was designed and coordinated through Research Theme 3: Potential prevention & mitigation strategies and consisted of three main elements:

A participatory approach to guide and lead the workshop participants through a process of multi-criteria evaluation of different options which finally results in decision-making on strategies to be field-tested.
The WOCAT database containing locally applied options as well as options from a number of other contexts.
'Facilitator', a Multi Objective Decision Support System (MODSS) software to support the single steps of the evaluation and decision-making process.

Target groups were the same as in the 1st workshop: local stakeholders (land users, representatives of local authorities, local NGOs) and external stakeholders (researchers, development professionals, NGOs, GOs).

As a result of the workshop, the following measures were selected for testing in field experiments.

Measures	Specifications	Type	Land use
Forestation according to the climate for each zone of the study site
Green belts on slopes	Combination between Aloe vera and Cajanus cajan or Leucaena leucocephala	vegetative	cropland

More details ... download full report and see general results and conclusions from other study sites
	WP3.3 Stakeholder Workshop 2 Cape Verde (report)
»Selecting strategies: Stakeholder Workshop 2 methodology and summary results from all study sites