The Government is preparing to present, "until 15 December", a "package of measures to support small farmers", with an annual turnover of up to 30 euros, announced yesterday the Secretary of State for Forests and Rural Development , at the opening of the Sweet Potato Festival, in Aljezur.
José Amarelinho, the mayor of the local Chamber, had already called attention, in his speech, to the need not to forget small farmers who insist on cultivating high quality products, such as Aljezur's sweet potato, of the variety lyra, which is already DOP, that is, it has its Protected Designation of Origin.
Miguel Freitas added that, "also this year", the Statute of the Young Rural Entrepreneur will be presented, "he who, in addition to agriculture, also does other things", because "the size of his property does not allow him to have sufficient profitability." forcing him to "look elsewhere" and other complementary activities in the rural world.
Finally, the secretary of State, who is familiar with the Algarve reality as he has already been regional director of Agriculture, as well as a professor at the University of the Algarve and deputy for the region, announced that the Government «is working on the new national strategy for agriculture. biological”, with concrete support measures already contained in the proposed State Budget for 2018, currently under discussion in the Assembly of the Republic.
But the news brought to Aljezur by the Algarve Miguel Freitas did not stop there. “Agriculture is very important to protect our countryside”, as is the forest. In this context, the Secretary of State underlined the "good experience" of the Association of Municipalities Terras do Infante, which brings together Lagos, Aljezur and Vila do Bispo and which has, for example, its own sapper teams intervening in the forest and woods Of region. "We will replicate this example across the country," he guaranteed.
For this, there will soon be "a meeting with all the Intermunicipal Communities in the country", where the objective will not only be to "look at the burned areas, but also at what did not burn".
Miguel Freitas said that in the Algarve there will be two main axes for strengthening the work "in the primary protection network": the areas of Monchique/Terras do Infante and Serra do Caldeirão/Northeast Algarvio/Alcoutim. One of the concrete measures announced was the “strengthening of the forest sapper teams”.
"We have to stop looking at the country as if it were all the same," concluded the Secretary of State for Forests and Rural Development.
The opening of the Sweet Potato Festival in Aljezur, which continues until tomorrow, at the town's Pavilhão Multiusos, continued afterwards with a visit to the fair and a dinner, where the main dish was sweet potatoes. On the way through the venue, Miguel Freitas tasted the new «Tuber Bock», the artisanal beer made with sweet potatoes, by two young master brewers, an Algarvian and an Alentejo, which is the big news of this edition.
Later, at the stand of a honey producer in Aljezur, the secretary of state, accompanied by the delegation that included, among others, the regional director of Agriculture, spoke at length about the problems of this important sector of the local economy.
The Festival can be visited this Saturday, from 12:00 to 24:00, and on Sunday, from 12:00 to 22:00. Entrance and parking are free. To consult the complete program, click here
Photos: Elisabete Rodrigues|Sul Informação
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