«It is an important moment that marks the possibility of having this little bit of land to plant now». Who says it is Maria Afonso, the first person who signed this Wednesday, September 7th, the contract related to the allocation of a plot of the new Community Garden of Faro, in Patacao.
The municipality's project, put into practice in collaboration with the Algarve Regional Directorate of Agriculture and Fisheries (DRAP), began to be thought about a year ago, and it was this Wednesday, a municipal holiday, concluded with the allocation of 26 plots of land. land to individuals and social solidarity institutions, namely APPC Faro – Association for the Intervention and (Re)enabling of citizens with Disabilities and/or Neurological Disabilities, to APATRIS 21 – Association of Trisomy 21 Carriers of the Algarve and to Glocal Faro – Environmental Conservation Organization.
«We had a social garden in Cidade Velha since 2010, but it was a very small space. It was always our idea to try to create better conditions and, in a conversation with the regional director of Agriculture and Fisheries, this idea could be materialized in this space that DRAP gave us», explained Rogério Bacalhau, president of the Chamber of Faro, thanking all users who make this type of initiative possible.
For Pedro Valadas Monteiro, the inauguration of this Community Garden comes «at a great time», as it will «help families» at a time when «the rate of inflation is increasing day by day, and, therefore, the associated costs food are one of the things that weighs the most on the budget».
On the other hand, the regional director emphasizes that it is an important initiative, «because it is part of a new policy for cities, which is to bring the countryside into the city».
«Increasing the literacy of the city population in what is the importance of agriculture, food production and, above all, a type of sustainable agriculture that is what we want to do here – a way of organic production, care in the management of irrigation water and also appealing to the circular economy», he continues.
In this sense, the Community Garden of Faro will also have the purpose of training, with the help of professionals who will supervise the activity and help with whatever is necessary.
The space is fenced and access is only allowed to the people who have been assigned the plots and the professionals who will help here.
Ao Sul Informação, Maria Afonso, one of the beneficiaries, also highlighted the importance that this activity will have for her children. «We are a large family, with three children, and this space will also make them, from an early age, be connected to nature», she said, referring that she already planted at home, but «the space was not enough».
With the first step taken, Rogério Bacalhau adds that the desire now is «to expand and create conditions so that other people can also enjoy this type of activity».
Photos: Mariana Sedge | Sul Informação
Comments