Project Overview

PROJECT OVERVIEW

“CVAgrobiodiversity” Climatic changes and plant genetic resources:

the overlooked potential of Cabo Verde's endemic flora

Project Coordinator: Maria Manuel Romeiras
E-mail: mmromeiras@isa.ulisboa.pt
Proponent Institution: Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa

Research Institutions

Institutions from Cabo Verde |

University of Cabo Verde (UNI-CV)

National Institute of Agricultural Research and Development (INIDA)

Environmental National Direction (DNA) and Vitó Association of Cape Verde

Institutions from Portugal |

University of Lisbon

School of Agriculture ISA / ULisbon

Science School FCUL / ULisbon

University of Azores

Academy of Sciences of Lisbon

Team Members

PORTUGAL INSTITUTIONS |

University of Lisbon |

Maria Manuel Romeiras (ISA/LEAF) - PI

Maria Cristina Duarte (cE3c/FCUL) - CO-PI

Ana Ribeiro-Barros (ISA/CTROP)

Cristina Branquinho (cE3c/FCUL)

Filipa Monteiro (ISA/LEAF)

José Carlos Costa (ISA/LEAF)

Manuel Correia (ISA)

Octávio Paulo (cE3c/FCUL)

Pedro Talhinhas (ISA/LEAF)

Rui Figueira (ISA/CIBIO/GBIF)

Academy of Sciences of Lisbon |

Maria Salomé Pais (ACL)

University of Azores |

Mónica Moura (Inbio-CIBIO/ UAz)

Luís Silva (Inbio-CIBIO/ UAz)

CABO VERDE INTITUTIONS |

Isildo Gomes (INIDA – Cabo Verde)

Herculano Dinis (VITÓ – DNA-CV)

Arlindo Fortes (ECAA/ Uni-CV)

Vladmir Ferreira (ECAA/ Uni-CV)

Executive Summary

Abstract

Africa's food security will be under threat due to adverse constraints of climate changes on agricultural systems. Crop Wild Relatives (CWR) represents a large pool of genetic diversity required in breeding programs to increase the adaptive capacity of agricultural systems. The main goal of this project is to identify the unexplored CWR taxa of Cabo Verde, to increase the sustainable use of biodiversity in improving food security. We will review the current state of knowledge in agricultural biodiversity, providing new data on plant genetic resources to supplement the breeding pool of abiotic stress tolerance. Specifically, we will produce an inventory of the Cabo Verde CWR that will provide data for developing a "National Strategy for Plant Genetic Resources" to be implemented by the local institutions. Also, we will integrate ecological (e.g. species distribution models) and molecular tools (e.g. genetic diversity, genomics) to: infer species distribution scenarios under climatic variations; determine potential areas of CWR occurrence, for their conservation; and identify genes linked to abiotic stress useful in breeding programs to increase crop productivity. The team long-term collaboration will enhance institutional capacities through knowledge share and collaborative work, key factors to achieve the proposed goals. This project ensures Science promotion; knowledge increase in biodiversity preservation and gene discovery, providing well prepared scientists. It catalyses international cooperation among Portuguese-Speaking Countries.

Budget

Budget execution & outlook |

BUDGET EXECUTION

The project implementation reached almost 90% of the executed funding, involving the budget allocation in both Portuguese and Cabo Verdean Institutions. For more than 2 years, budget deviations were mainly due to the Covid-19 pandemic adjustments, but even so all project objectives were largely exceeded, with many international publications, organization of congresses, as well as training of master and doctoral students. Despite all project achievements, all CVAgrobiodiversity team was engaged in completing the publication of the Book on “Plant Genetic Resources of Cabo Verde” in Portuguese version. Even though it falls outside on the timeframe of the project, we would have liked to have had more time to spend the remaining available budget (ca. 30,000 €) to produce more printed book copies, as well as to prepare an English version of the book, to promote a wider dissemination across the scientific and academic communities. We would therefore like to ask the evaluation committee if there is any possibility to support and/or to consider exceptionally funds that have not been spent to be available to produce additional printable copies of the book as well as to make an English version of this seminal book, until December of 2023. This would allow to reach a wider and greater impact on the knowledge of Cabo Verde's natural resources among educational institutions, research, and the general public, gathered within this project.

OUTLOOK

As mentioned in this final Scientific Report, the results and conclusions of the CVAgrobiodiversity project have been actively disseminated through numerous scientific publications, including books and papers, as well as in communications (talks/posters) presented at international congresses. All these outputs have significantly contributed to the sharing of the results, ensuring that the generated knowledge reaches the scientific community and the public in general. However, many other data have been produced and continue to be published, being the baseline for continuing training students from Cabo Verde, namely supporting PhD projects. This demonstrates the great impact achieved under the CVAgrobiodiversity project, but draws attention to the need to find new sources of funding to continue the high level of excellence achieved in this project.

As stated in the section “1.1. Summary of the main outputs”, we would like to highlight that the training of students from Cabo Verde (theses completed: 2 PhD students and five Master students) contributed to achieve one of the main objectives of the call funded by FCT/AGAKAN: to contribute to capacity building and research for development in Africa. In addition to the two PhD students who already obtained their degrees under the CV-Agrobiodiversity, there are three other Cabo Verdean students still conducting their PhD thesis in the framework of this project. Namely:

Vanézia Rocha, PhD student (FCT Grant: SFRH/BD/151518/2021) in PhD Program TERRA at ISA / University of the Lisbon, is developing her project entitled “Dry2VERDEDesertification assessment in arid ecosystems: an approach to mitigate and enhance dryness resilience in Cabo Verde’s Islands”

Daniel Semedo, PhD student (FCT Grant: PRT/BD/154333/2022) in Biology at the University of the Azores, is developing his project entitled "Ecosystem services associated with the introduction of Prosopis (Fabaceae) in Cabo Verde: do the positive effects outweigh the potential negative impacts?"

Arlindo Fortes PhD student (Grant from University of Lisbon) in Ph.D. program in Development Studies ISEG/ISA/ICS/IGOT at the University of Lisbon, and his project entitled “Processes of Change in Cabo Verdean Agriculture between 2008 and 2018 and the Role of Public Policies, the irrigation Case”

All these PhD students are continuing to develop their theses under the main topics of the CVAgrobiodiversity project. In this context, we consider that a follow up project would be of the greatest interest to support the continuation of these research activities and cooperation, as well as scientific training of young people of great talent from the archipelago of Cabo Verde.

Overall, by focusing on the identification, conservation, and sustainable use of genetic resources of Cabo Verde, the CV-Agrobiodiversity project addressed crucial aspects such as food security, biodiversity preservation, and the protection of water resources. Furthermore, the project's emphasis on sustainable natural resource management and agriculture has played a role in reducing the vulnerability of Cabo Verde to the effects of climate change. Through the promotion of adaptive agricultural and conservation practices designed for the archipelago's specific conditions, this project contributed to enhance the resilience of local communities and ecosystems.

Finally, we would like to say that the project website has all the information for evaluation and consultation and will continue to be active and updated with the outputs, which are still in preparation. This will continue to give high visibility to the excellent results obtained during the CV-Agrobiodiversity project.

Funding

Funding |

FCT/AKDN

Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia, I.P. do Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Ensino Superior de Portugal & Aga Khan Development Network. Project "CVAgrobiodiversity - Climate changes and plant genetic resources: the overlooked potential of Cabo Verde’s endemic flora”.