The Citizens' Movement for the Center for Agrarian Experimentation of Tavira (CEAT) and Urban Gardens of Tavira contests the plan presented for the former Agrarian Post that forgets the farmers, transforming the space into an Innovation Pole, linked to the Mediterranean Diet. A protest march has already been scheduled for next Friday, December 3rd, starting at 16 pm, starting in front of the Town Hall of Tavira.
In a statement sent to newsrooms, CEAT explains that this demonstration will bring together farmers and citizens, against the «destruction of the concept of “agrarian center” and the total misrepresentation of the historical purpose for which this space, which has been in existence for 95 years, was developed. .
The demonstrators will demand that "the Sotavento Delegation of the Algarve Regional Directorate of Agriculture and Fisheries support and serve farmers, guarantors of food security and the production of products that underpin the values and principles of the proclaimed Mediterranean Diet and sustainable food" .
The Citizens' Movement for CEAT defends, in the statement, that the farmers were "homeless"
«The current plan for a new Pole of Innovation for Sustainable Food (Terra Futura) in practice privileges all types of entities, activities and interests, except for the interests of farmers and truly sustainable agriculture. In the presentation session everything was very beautiful, but for the farmers, there is no place», reads.
According to the plan presented last Wednesday, November 24, with the presence of the Minister of Agriculture, the Tavira Agrarian Experimentation Center, in addition to becoming an Innovation Hub, linked to the Mediterranean Diet, will also host a valence from the Algarve Biomedical Center, linked to active aging.
For the Citizens' Movement for CEAT, «perhaps the first idea that should have been considered for that space was the creation of a professional training center (agricultural school) or even a polytechnic (agricultural higher school) wherever there was, to at the same time, support services to farmers in the region”.
“One of the biggest problems in agriculture today is that of training and the availability of personnel who know how to work in agriculture. Are they ending the concept of “agrarian post”? Who is sustainable food based on? With varied products from where? Who knows how to work nowadays to produce the advertised food? Has CEAT changed from an agrarian center to a food center? And who is this food coming from? And how is it produced?”, asks this movement.
“We defend the existence of the Mediterranean Diet Centre. But we cannot accept that, in an agrarian training and experimentation center, one of the first actions to carry out is to give the building dedicated to the training of farmers (not only in Tavira, but in the region and even in the country), and other buildings, to various entities , without having established the logistics and timetable for the support and training of farmers”, he adds.
Moreover, this Citizens' Movement also disputes the fact that this plan was not discussed with the farmers.
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