On 24 and 25 February 2026, the Jean Piaget University of Cape Verde hosted a meeting on the valorisation and management of marine macroalgae in Cape Verde, organised by the Cape Verdean Association of Ecotourism (ECOCV) under the project “Marine Algae Biofertilisers for Climate Change Adaptation and Women’s Empowerment in Rural Areas of Cape Verde”.

The event brought together specialists, farmers and members of rural communities to discuss sustainable solutions in response to the proliferation of macroalgae along coastal areas — a phenomenon that intensified over the past year with significant sargassum accumulation in Santiago (São Domingos, São Miguel and Santa Cruz), as well as on the islands of Maio, Fogo and Brava.

During the meeting, biologist Edita Magileviciute highlighted that marine macroalgae have been used worldwide for more than five thousand years and that, despite Cape Verde’s rich marine resources, this sector is still emerging in the country. She stated that the project focuses on women’s empowerment and the production of biofertilisers derived from marine macroalgae, aiming to open new pathways for the blue economy in Cape Verde. She also stressed that the large quantity of algae washed ashore, when decomposing, releases greenhouse gases, making it essential to find appropriate management solutions.

As part of the same initiative, the video-photo exhibition “A Photographic Journey Through the Giants of the Ocean – Dolphins and Whales of Cape Verde” is on display at the UniPiaget Media Library from 24 February to 13 March, between 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.

The exhibition is part of the project “Strengthening National Capacities for Cetacean Conservation and Management of Anthropogenic Interactions and Impacts”, funded by the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, and complements the meeting by highlighting the richness of the national marine biodiversity and the importance of its conservation.

UniPiaget thus reaffirms its commitment to promoting scientific knowledge, environmental sustainability and the valorisation of national marine resources.