The food habits of the rural populations of Cape Verde and their relationship with the drycrops

Abstract

Corn and bean crops are the most important for the practice of dryland agriculture in Cape
Verde. It depends exclusively on rainwater and its production varies from year to year, depending
on the rainfall regime, being produced in ecological systems, without the use of chemical
inputs. This essay intends to report the importance that these cereals acquire for the food
security of rural families, as well as to describe the main uses and types of foods that are
produced from these grains.Through participant observation and semi-structured interviews,
it was possible to identify the main maize-based foods that are emblematic of the food culture
of rural populations, like cachupa, cuscuz, camoca, xerém, djagacida, pastel, fidjós, cake and
breads. It can be concluded, therefore, that the corn and beans crops, usually produced in the
rainforest, are fundamental species for the food security of the rural families of the Island of
Santiago, in Cape Verde.