Centro de
Competências
para a Agricultura
Familiar Sustentável

The choice for Sao Tome and Principe’s archipelago to host the Center was considered ideal due to its strategic historical importance, since 1484, for commercial and agricultural activities between the countries of the African continent, Brazil, and Portugal, and for its biodiversity. Sao Tome and Principe has species not only from Africa but also from Europe and the Americas. In addition, the traditional knowledge related to agriculture and food practiced in the islands, including techniques and uses related to food, is of great value.

Sao Tome and Principe stands out on the African continent for having about 14% of its agricultural area with certified sustainable agricultural production. Its location along the Equator (and close to the west coast of Africa) reinforces its advantage, as the islands have relevant microclimatic specificities. The climate, hot and humid, with average temperatures ranging between 22ºC and 30ºC, is strongly influenced by their geographic situation in the Ecuadorian low-pressure valley, intertropical convergence zone, and warm Gulf Stream. The seasons are defined by rain (from October to May, coinciding with the hottest season) and drought (from June to September). These characteristics favour the implementation of pedagogical practices in socio-environmental contexts very close to the existing ones in most CPLP countries.

There are, however, difficulties to overcome. The reduced number of trainers in these areas, a reduced number of students and the insularity, for exemple. The Center will contribute to the current trajectory of sustainable agricultural development in Sao Tome and Principe by training national staff, mobilising young people, offering network actions, and using new communication technologies. Whether because of its political commitment, heritage, existing institutions, environmental and geo-climatic factors, and the project's impact on communities and the environment, Sao Tome and Principe offers very favourable conditions to host CCAFS

2012

In July 2012, the 17th Ordinary Meeting of the CPLP Council of Ministers approved the Declaration on the CPLP and the Challenges of Food and Nutritional Security, according to the conclusions of the 5th Meeting of CPLP Ministers of Agriculture and Food Security, in Luanda, in June 2012. This Luanda meeting recognised the creation and entry into operation of the CPLP Permanent Technical Secretariat for Food and Nutritional Security (STP-SAN CPLP) and recommended creating the CPLP Food and Nutritional Security Council (CONSAN-CPLP) and respective Statutes.

2015

The Facilitation Mechanism for Civil Society Participation in the CONSAN (MSC-CONSAN) emphasised the importance of "building capacities to promote sustainable production models based on agroecology through knowledge exchange between CPLP countries" during the First Forum on Family Farming and Food and Nutrition Security of the CPLP (FAFSAN I), in Sao Tome and Principe. MSC-CONSAN also proposed the creation of a Regional Training Center to implement the decisions and recommendations of the CONSAN-CPLP on this topic.

Following this process, the 1st Extraordinary Meeting of the CONSAN-CPLP, held in Dili - East Timor, in November, "welcomed the creation, in Sao Tome and Principe, of a Training Center and technology transfer network to support capacity building for sustainable family farming in the CPLP." MSC-CONSAN and its Secretariat, the Non-Governmental Organisation ACTUAR, were appointed responsible for coordinating the process, with the support of the CPLP Executive Secretariat and FAO.

2017

Other commitments within the scope of the CPLP reinforced the importance of the constitution of the Center and brought new elements to the project. The first is the Guidelines for the Support and Promotion of Family Agriculture in the Member States of the Community of Portuguese-speaking Countries, approved at the II Extraordinary Meeting of the CONSAN-CPLP, in June 2017, in Brasília – Brazil.

2018

During the High-Level Meeting on Family Farming in the CPLP (RANAF), the Lisbon Charter for the Strengthening of Family Farming was signed in February. This political document, signed by all members and participants in the CONSAN-CPLP (including Social Participation Mechanisms), the Executive Secretary of CPLP, and the Director-General of FAO, endorses and supports the decision to create the Center and expresses the commitment of the Member States and representatives of civil society, the private sector and academia to "develop the debate on agroecology and other modes of sustainable agriculture and promote their institutional recognition, through specific public policies and actions to raise awareness and build capacity” (Lisbon Charter, 2018).

2019

In July 2019, the International Forum "Relevant Territories for Sustainable Food Systems" (FISAS) was held in the municipality of Idanha-a-Nova, Portugal.  Representatives of governments, civil society, the private sector, local authorities and universities, and research institutions recognised the advances made under the CPLP Food and Nutrition Security Strategy.

In December, there was a seminar to present and discuss the results of the characterization of family farming in the CPLP to make a joint publication with the Brazilian Cooperation Agency (ABC), the Special Secretariat for Family Farming and Agrarian Development (SEAD), and FAO. To better understand the specifics of each country, the study was carried out by national experts in each CPLP Member State.

2020

Start of activities of the Training Center for Sustainable Family Agriculture in Sao Tome and Principe and on-line.

The main goal of CCAFS-CPLP is to train farmers, technicians, and other relevant actors. For this, a reference network for exchanging knowledge and cooperation on sustainable agriculture and agroecology in the CPLP is being promoted. Among other goals, there is the consolidation of sustainable agriculture in Sao Tome and Principe and its international recognition as an example of good practice piloting.

To achieve these goals, the Center operates in the following major areas of knowledge:

• Promotion of sustainable use of natural resources;
• Valorisation of agrobiodiversity and socio-biodiversity products;
• Sovereignty and food and nutrition security.

The following activities are expected to be carried out:

• seminars and thematic workshops for the exchange of national and international knowledge, covering productive practices, rural extension services, training and investigation to materialise the conception and practice of dialogues of in-person and distanced knowledge;
• local techno-productive pilot projects in ecosystems similar to other CPLP countries and local experimental units of agroecological production for national and international teaching and learning activities. These activities will include the implementation/construction of a plant germplasm bank for endemic cultures and/or in extinction, initially at the national level, and later expanding to a regional bank, encompassing plant germplasm from the different CPLP Member States;
• constitution of a virtual library and video library in partnership with the CPLP research organisations, universities, and professional schools;
• training courses and other distance education actions, through a communication platform, virtual debates, and other electronic resources in partnership with the CPLP teaching organisations, in particular with Universidade Aberta;
• exchange activities according to the farmer-to-farmer methodology, which recognises the peasants' knowledge;
• national, regional, and international technical-scientific events;
• studies and research in intervention areas;
• scientific residency for masters' and doctoral students from the CPLP countries;
• provision of services to national, regional, and international entities, considering the Center's capacities.

CCAFS’ approach implies multidisciplinarity and teaching methodologies that value farmers' knowledge. These include identifying local problems and a joint search for solutions through dialogue with the knowledge emanating from the investigation institutions of the CPLP Member States. The experiences exchange is essential in the process of knowledge co-construction. Social relations of gender and generation are considered, valuing women's knowledge and practices and encouraging young people's participation. Agroecology encompasses the technical, scientific, social, cultural, and environmental dimensions.

The main goal of CCAFS-CPLP is to train farmers, technicians, and other relevant actors. For this, a reference network for exchanging knowledge and cooperation on sustainable agriculture and agroecology in the CPLP is being promoted. Among other goals, there is the consolidation of sustainable agriculture in Sao Tome and Principe and its international recognition as an example of good practice piloting.

To achieve these goals, the Center operates in the following major areas of knowledge:

• Promotion of sustainable use of natural resources;
• Valorisation of agrobiodiversity and socio-biodiversity products;
• Sovereignty and food and nutrition security.

The following activities are expected to be carried out:

• seminars and thematic workshops for the exchange of national and international knowledge, covering productive practices, rural extension services, training and investigation to materialise the conception and practice of dialogues of in-person and distanced knowledge;
• local techno-productive pilot projects in ecosystems similar to other CPLP countries and local experimental units of agroecological production for national and international teaching and learning activities. These activities will include the implementation/construction of a plant germplasm bank for endemic cultures and/or in extinction, initially at the national level, and later expanding to a regional bank, encompassing plant germplasm from the different CPLP Member States;
• constitution of a virtual library and video library in partnership with the CPLP research organisations, universities, and professional schools;
• training courses and other distance education actions, through a communication platform, virtual debates, and other electronic resources in partnership with the CPLP teaching organisations, in particular with Universidade Aberta;
• exchange activities according to the farmer-to-farmer methodology, which recognises the peasants' knowledge;
• national, regional, and international technical-scientific events;
• studies and research in intervention areas;
• scientific residency for masters' and doctoral students from the CPLP countries;
• provision of services to national, regional, and international entities, considering the Center's capacities.

CCAFS’ approach implies multidisciplinarity and teaching methodologies that value farmers' knowledge. These include identifying local problems and a joint search for solutions through dialogue with the knowledge emanating from the investigation institutions of the CPLP Member States. The experiences exchange is essential in the process of knowledge co-construction. Social relations of gender and generation are considered, valuing women's knowledge and practices and encouraging young people's participation. Agroecology encompasses the technical, scientific, social, cultural, and environmental dimensions.