The Cape Verde archipelago suffers from severe droughts due to the climate change, with average annual rainfalls of under 200 mm.  This lack of potable and agricultural water already caused massive exodus on several islands.

The Cap Verdean Ministry of Agriculture and Environment organized an International Forum on Water Scarcity in Agriculture and invited Mascara to present its sustainable agricultural brackish water solar desalination program. Jointly initiated by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) as part of the Global Framework on Water Scarcity in Agriculture (WASAG), this first forum aims to identify concrete, practical, innovative and collaborative solutions to address all agricultural issues of Cape Verde, the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and West African countries.

Marc Vergnet, CEO of Mascara, discussed directly with  the Cap Verdean Prime Minister José Ulisses de Pina Correia e Silva and the agriculture and energy ministers about the upcoming small rural areas’ irrigation schemes, enabled by the price competitive and emission-free OSMOSUN® solar desalination technology.  The aim of this program is to compensate the rainfall deficiency in order to develop a more intensified, diversified and secured farming.

Mascara celebrates the World Water Day 2019 in Cape Verde

Participating in this event, Mascara reaffirms its commitment to the World Water Day, established by the United Nations General Assembly and celebrated every year on 22^nd of March since 1992.

This event fits within the Sustainable Development Goal 6 – Clean water and sanitation (SDG6) – and this year’s theme Leaving no one behind emphasizes the importance of improved water resources management and access to safe water for all.

Mascara solar desalination projects in Cape Verde contribute in this respect to the improvement of human health and livelihood, towards sustainable development and economic recovery.