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In 2023, the food security situation in Cape Verde's archipelago continues to be one of the country's major concerns. The country has been facing, since 2020, a combination of factors, including the impact of climate shocks, years of recurrent droughts and subsequent drops in food production, the socio-economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, and global supply chain disruptions as well as sharp food price increases mainly driven by the Ukraine crisis. The 2023 March Cadre Harmonisé (CH) analysis projected that at its peak, over 43,000 people would be facing acute food insecurity (CH Phases 3 and 4) in the country, representing nine percent of the total population.
In 2023, WFP contributed to maintaining Cabo Verde's hard-won gains in food security by leveraging its expertise to purchase and deliver in-kind food commodities necessary to support the continuation of the national school feeding programme. The School Feeding Programme that WFP supported the Government to put in place since 1979 to increase school enrolment, combat food insecurity, and cover the nutritional needs of students is West Africa’s first-ever nationally owned school feeding programme. As Cabo Verde transitioned to a middle-income country, the programme became fully run by the Government in 2010, becoming West Africa’s first-ever nationally owned school feeding programme.
Cabo Verde’s school feeding programme represents a crucial safety net, supporting vulnerable families at risk of food insecurity by reaching and benefiting 20 percent of the country's population by receiving at least one hot meal per day during the school year, consequently responding to the food crises. Through the Limited Emergency Operation (LEO) implementation in 2023, WFP contributed to avoiding the risk of putting the School Feeding program on hold and leveraged its expertise to purchase and deliver in-kind food commodities necessary to support the continuation of the national school feeding programme and to support the government's fundraising strategy.
The LEO ensured the purchase and delivery of commodities necessary to maintain the national school feeding programme. WFP coordinated the international purchase and shipping of approximately 720 mt of commodities for use in the 2023–2024 school year.
WFP's main implementation partner was the Fundação Cabo-Verdana de Ação Social Escolar (FICASE, in Portuguese) for the customs and clearance, storage, and delivery of food commodities procured by WFP to support government-led school canteens. The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, National Secretariat of Food Security and Nutrition was also one of the main partners in data analyses and monitoring and evaluating food security and nutrition data in Cabo Verde. WFP and FAO demonstrated an effective collaboration instrumental for the effective implementation of the LEO.
In response to ongoing needs and procurement challenges, WFP implemented a second budget revision for its LEO in August 2023. This strategic move extended the operation by six months, ensuring continuity of services until November 2023. WFP directly provided food, technical assistance, capacity strengthening, and policy support to national institutions and partners to manage and implement the national school feeding programme that reached 90,725 schoolchildren in 788 schools during the year.
Throughout its response, WFP maintained its positive collaboration with national authorities, supporting them toward achieving Sustainable Development Goals 2 (Zero Hunger) and 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). In 2023, WFP was a key agency in supporting the Government of Cape Verde and the United Nations Country Team in Cape Verde implement the 2023 Annual Plan of the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) for Cape Verde for 2023–2027, which guides the Government, the United Nations, and all stakeholders to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals in an integrated manner.