Villagers on Príncipe, the ‘African Galapagos’, to be paid for protecting the ecosystem

A billionaire is funding a sustainable development project on the west African island that makes the local population stewards of its futureAt the crumbling colonial farm buildings in Porto Real, agricultural worker Kimilson Lima, 43, has signed the agreement and he’s happy. “With this money we can have a proper floor in the house,” he said. “And an inside toilet.”Lima is part of a ground-breaking experiment on the West African island of Príncipe, where villagers who agree to follow an environmental protection code will reap a quarterly dividend. To date nearly 3,000 have joined the Faya Fo...