Azores Bio Forum joined Agricultural Fair 2022
Ponta Delgada
Secretaria Regional da Agricultura e do Desenvolvimento Rural
The 2nd Organic Farming Forum - Azores Bio 22 - joined the Azores Agricultural Fair that took place on São Miguel Island between June 17 and 19, with information, promotion and dissemination events on the organic production method.
During the fair, a permanent exhibition was held with the aim of making visitors acquainted with the developments in this area. It was also an opportunity to exchange experiences and information with the organisers of the forum and representatives of organic farming producers and consumers' organisations in the Azores Autonomous Region.
Specifically aimed at children, three editions of the workshop "The little seed that wanted to be a giant" took place in the children's area of the Environmental Education Centre of Santa Casa da Misericórdia da Ribeira Grande at the Fair site on June 18 and 19. Through an interactive story, these sessions were intended to raise the awareness of younger audiences about the importance of protecting soil and living beings.
The seminar "Organic Farming: a path to food self-sufficiency" was held on the morning of June 19. It featured presentations on the implementation of organic production on four islands and a discussion of the challenges that the sector currently faces at national and regional levels.
This event featured six speakers: Jaime Ferreira, president of Agrobio - Portuguese Association of Organic Farming, founded in 1985, presented his views on the current situation of organic farming in Portugal and Europe; Elisabeth Domingues, representing Unicol, delivered a lecture on the importance of pasture management in milk production, with data collected from organic producers in the Azores; Rui Calouro highlighted the commitment of Bel Açores to promoting the production of "Terra Nostra" organic milk and dairy products on the island of São Miguel; Raquel Vargas presented the Biokairos project, which is also being implemented on the island of São Miguel and focuses on organic production from a social integration perspective; Miguel Sequeira represented the Make it Happen Farm, whose organic production based on the island of São Jorge is associated with tourism, and Julien Floro represented Myrica Faial, a fruit and vegetable producer based on the island of Faial that combines different techniques and production trends with a view to protecting the environment, especially soil and water.
The seminar was attended by more than fifty people who had the opportunity to make questions and suggestions to speakers, but also official entities representing the Regional Secretary for Agriculture and Rural Development, including the Regional Secretary for Agriculture and Rural Development, the Regional Director for Agriculture and the Director of the São Miguel Agrarian Development Service.
The event was broadcast online via the Facebook pages of the Agricultural Fair and the Forum Bio22. It remains available for viewing on these channels.
At the end of the event, participants registered in the seminar had a Bio lunch served at the Azores Certified Products Room, where they enjoyed a meal prepared with organic products from the Region.
The Azores Agricultural Forum is a joint initiative of the Regional Government, through the Regional Secretariat for Agriculture and Rural Development and the sector's Associations represented by Trybio - Organic Farming Producers and Consumers' Association, BioAzorica - Organic Farmers' Cooperative and the Azores Agricultural Federation.
The forum is intended to promote a broad discussion on organic farming and livestock production, bringing together producers, technicians, researchers and consumers, associations and cooperatives, industry, distribution, trade and public and private services. It also focuses on the creation of a regional network of cooperation, knowledge and capacity building.
It also aims to disseminate research and foster innovation, both in organic farming and in the processing and development of the respective products, as well as to raise awareness, inform, train and build skills for the organic production mode.
Moreover, the Forum intends to present and promote Azorean organic producers and products; encourage food self-sufficiency, circular economy, bio-economy and short marketing circuits, and promote a better environment, quality of life, health, disease prevention and social balance.
The Azores Agricultural Forum ultimately seeks to contribute to mitigating major global challenges such as climate change and health crises.
Following the positive outcome of the first Forum, which included 36 events involving more than one thousand participants, in addition to its online reach, the organisation has decided to move forward with a 2nd edition in 2022.
In view of the traditional human and animal food supply challenges faced by an archipelago that is also an outermost region, aggravated by the Covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine, the 2nd Forum is dedicated to the theme "A path to food self-sufficiency."
The second edition began in May with events held as part of the Faial Agricultural and Commercial Fair and with the visit of a delegation from the International Network of Eco-Regions (Bio-Regions) to the Region. They travelled to the islands of Faial and Flores, establishing several contacts and promoting awareness-raising activities with representatives of municipalities, producers and the population in general.
Currently, this second edition has already covered the islands of Faial, Flores and Sao Miguel. The Forum is scheduled to visit Terceira between July 1 and 3 with the organisation of a Biofair at the Vinha Brava Exhibition Park in Angra do Heroísmo.
Those interested in getting more information or attending the events can contact the organisation at the email [email protected] or by telephone 292 208 800, or via social media Facebook and Instagram.
