Government presents support measures for rural families affected by recent rains

Today, the government held a joint press conference with the Minister for the Family, Inclusion and Social Development, the Minister for Infrastructure, Spatial Planning and Housing and the Minister for Agriculture and the Environment to present the Plan for Recovery and Increased Resilience in the areas most affected by the heavy rains that hit the municipalities of Tarrafal de Santiago, São Miguel, Santa Cruz and Santa Catarina on 13 and 14 November and by storm Erin, which hit the islands of São Vicente, Santo Antão and São Nicolau.

The Minister for Agriculture and the Environment, Gilberto Silva, presented the balance of the damage caused by the heavy rains in 23 streams in Santiago Norte and the intervention measures that the government will implement to support families and restore productive capacity.

The technical assessment on the ground, reinforced by drone images, revealed significant damage: accesses destroyed, streams and infrastructure silted up, loss of soil and water conservation devices, damage to protection walls, wells and motor pumps, destruction of reservoirs, pipes and irrigation systems, as well as farmland and crops completely swept away.

As Gilberto Silva said, the government will implement a series of emergency measures, complementary to the social and financial support already available, aimed at quickly restoring hydro-agricultural infrastructures, protecting communities and guaranteeing conditions for the resumption of agricultural and livestock activities.

The interventions will be carried out by the Ministry of Agriculture and the Environment and include: replacing anti-erosion devices; rebuilding torrential correction infrastructures; reinstalling irrigation systems; recovering wells and boreholes, including cleaning, unblocking and drilling a new borehole to reinforce the water points.

The total cost of these actions is 1,123,445,000 ECV, an essential investment to restore water security and the productive capacity of farming families, reduce the risk of new floods and strengthen the resilience of communities in the face of extreme weather events.

The Ministry reaffirms its commitment to working alongside families, ensuring that recovery takes place quickly, safely and sustainably.

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