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Drought within an ocean – Willy’s story

Under the watchful eye of Nena, his adopted mother, Willy Gonçalves has had escaped a difficult childhood to become a competent farmer. Today, he manages Nena’s farm and their thriving seedling business is drawing a sharp contrast with increasing number of farmers abandoning their land in Cabo Verde, amid climate change and prolonged droughts.Willy and Nena had benefited from the FAO-China South-South Cooperation project and group of Chinese experts pass on their knowledge and expertise to Cabo Verdean farmers and livestock producers to fight pests, manage soil and animal production, and offer other useful techniques in adapting to the effects of climate change.

Language English

Duration 5m34s

Video Type Field Story

Date 09/05/2024 9:27 AM

File size 611.09 MB

Unique ID UF17KB5

Production details and shotlist

UNFAO Source FAO Video

Shotlist Willy Gonçalves, farmer, Cabo Verde:

I get up every day at 4.30am. I start working at 6am, go out to graze the animals, and then arrive to feed the chickens and check the fields.

My name is Willy Gonçalves. I am 29 years old

I live here in Achada Fazenda, I'm a farmer and I'm also a plant grower where I also sell plants to local farmers.

When I was nine, I studied, but I also worked here half day.

Now I'm the person in charge here.

My past was a bit complicated. I lost my father when I was four years old.

I had to go back to live with my mother, but I didn't stay with her for long. Shortly after, I came to live with this family.
Here, since I was a child, I learned how to grow plants.
Nena Cardoso, farmer, Cabo Verde:

I've known Willy since he was very young, we were neighbours and lived very close together, I know him since he was born. He was a polite boy.

Nena: At this time of year, as there are few vegetable plants for sale, we can make ornamental plants. That way, when it rains, we'll have some ready to go, so we can make the most of the occasion.

Willy Gonçalves, farmer, Cabo Verde:
Nena is an example for me to follow, hard-working and respectful of everyone. Everything I learnt was from her.
To sell we usually have tomatoes, peppers, cabbage, onions, kale, beetroot, cassava, papaya, guava, pine nuts and coconuts plants.

Here in Santiago, many vegetable gardens are abandoned.
They are abandoned due to lack of water,
either because the water source has dried up or because the water is salty.
Katya Neves, Assistant FAO Representative (Programme), Cabo Verde:
For the last five years, Cabo Verde has been facing very severe drought. it didn't rain. It has been very difficult for the farmers and for the livestock producers.

The government also had to intervene to support them. And the FAO also intervened to support with emergency projects.
Gilbert Silva, Plant Health protection technician, National Institute for Research and Agricultural Development (INIDA), Ministry of Agriculture, Cabo Verde:
With the South South Cooperation project, with China and Cabo Verde through FAO, we were able to have the part of technicians specialized in the field of soil fertility of the problem of vegetable protection. We had the opportunity with this project to have trainings with the farmers and the technicians and to share our common work worries and interests.

Willy Gonçalves, farmer, Cabo Verde:
It was a great help to me. It's the first time I've taken part in a training programme that they talk about what we really need.

Yanhua Zeng,
expert on horticulture and soil:
After the trials, we will establish a standard for biological pest control, which will be promoted in Cape Verde. This will greatly improve the efficiency of crop pest control on a large scale, significantly reducing the yield losses caused by pests and ensuring an increase in grain and horticultural crop production.
Nena: The problem is that we don't have any manure at the moment. Do you think we should add manure or not?
Willy: Yes, we should. Just as you said in the training session, one of the ways to enrich the soil is with compost. This makes the soil stronger and richer. They are using a lot of chemicals, which ends up damaging the soil.

Willy Gonçalves, farmer, Cabo Verde:
We like to research. I do a lot of research, especially on YouTube. I've never trained in grafting, but I know how to do it.

Nena is like that too, she likes to study and learn new techniques. She started out with a fairly small space, but since then she's been working and increasing her cultivation plot.

We are pioneers in selling plants to farmers in this municipality.
I dream of having my own nursery
where I can produce my own plants and be my own boss.

Script Under the watchful eye of Nena, his adopted mother, Willy Gonçalves has had escaped a difficult childhood to become a competent farmer. Today, he manages Nena’s farm and their thriving seedling business is drawing a sharp contrast with increasing number of farmers abandoning their land in Cabo Verde, amid climate change and prolonged droughts.Willy and Nena had benefited from the FAO-China South-South Cooperation project and group of Chinese experts pass on their knowledge and expertise to Cabo Verdean farmers and livestock producers to fight pests, manage soil and animal production, and offer other useful techniques in adapting to the effects of climate change.

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