The In Loco Association received yesterday the distinction “Dryland Champions 2015” (Champions of the Arid Areas), by the hands of the president of the National Commission to Combat Desertification, in a meeting that took place in the municipality of Mértola.
This is an initiative of the United Nations, through the Convention to Combat Desertification, which annually distinguishes individuals, organizations or companies that have made practical and relevant contributions to the sustainable management of lands.
Under the motto “I am Part of the Solution”, the initiative focuses mainly on people, on their commitment and efforts to promote and improve the livelihoods of populations and the conditions of ecosystems affected by desertification and drought in arid areas.
This distinction was awarded for the work developed within the scope of the survey of local seed varieties, initiated by In Loco in 2011, in the interior of the Algarve region, as a way of maintaining local biodiversity.
According to In Loco, this intervention would gain particular relevance due to the «fire in 2012, which enormously affected the municipalities of São Brás de Alportel and Tavira, devastating an important part of the existing seed patrimony of this territory, whether that was saved for future sowings, like what was planted».
Another factor guaranteeing relevance to the intervention was “the fact that the European Commission has advanced with the proposal of the controversial “seed law”, which would serve, among other objectives, to outlaw traditional seeds”.
"Fortunately, the European Parliament had, in the meantime, the good sense to reject this proposal of the European Commission", stresses the association.
Nelson Dias, president of Associação In Loco, at the time of the award ceremony, spoke briefly to those present to say that «he believes that this award is the result of national and international recognition of In Loco's 27-year work in the interior of the Algarve ».
He also stressed that “this recognition not only distinguishes the Association, but the mountain populations, true “champions of the arid areas”, as well as all the entities that over these nearly three decades have collaborated with our work.
In addition to In Loco, in Portugal three other associations were also awarded: ADPM – Association for the Defense of the Heritage of Mértola, for a sustainable development project, promoted in Chã do Norte, Cape Verde, the ALDEIA Association, with the project « Action, Freedom, Development,
Education, Research, Environment”, and also CORANE – Association for the Development of the Municipalities of Raia Nordestina (Trás-os-Montes), with the cross-border project Ambi/Empleate.
The “Dryland Champions” program emerged after the Rio+20 Conference, held in 2012, in Rio de Janeiro, in the context of which the United Nations recognized the need for actions to stop and reverse soil degradation, as an essential resource for Life.
Such actions were grouped under a single objective to be achieved in the coming years: “A World with 0 Earth degradation”.
Thus, aiming to achieve a Neutral World of Land Degradation, the implementation of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification literally begins at the doorstep of every citizen. Everyone can contribute, take action, integrating a growing community of Arid Zone Champions that cares and works to safeguard land and soils, aiming to ensure greater and sustainable local and global benefits.
More information about the 2015 awardees can be consulted by clicking here.
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