Japan Pledges €1.4M Food Aid to Cape Verde Amid Hunger Crisis
Japan and Cape Verde are set to formalize a new food assistance agreement worth 1.4 million euros on Monday, according to a statement from the Cape Verdean Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The deal marks a significant increase in support from Tokyo as the archipelago struggles with rising hunger levels and climate-related challenges.
A Strengthening Partnership
The Ministry stated that the funding “reaffirms Japan’s commitment to continue supporting Cape Verde’s development efforts.” This latest infusion follows a December 2025 agreement in which Japan provided 834,000 euros—equivalent to 991 tons of rice—to bolster food security amid volatile global prices.
Worsening Food Insecurity
The aid arrives at a critical juncture for the Atlantic nation. Data released in October by Cape Verde’s National Institute of Statistics (INE) highlights a troubling trend: the prevalence of severe food insecurity jumped from 5.6% in 2022 to 8.3% in 2024.
The findings, featured in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) statistical report, reveal that both moderate and severe food insecurity have worsened over the last two years. This shift represents a reversal of the progress made between 2018 and 2024, during which the country had seen a steady decline in hunger rates.
Climate and Economic Pressures
Cape Verde remains highly vulnerable to external shocks, particularly the rising costs of imported goods and the persistent effects of climate change, which have disrupted local agricultural cycles. The Japanese aid package is specifically designed to mitigate these impacts and ensure a stable food supply for the country’s most vulnerable populations.
Image: Pexels – Carlo Jünemann
