LIFE POLLINIZAÇORES project approved, highlights António Ventura - Communication

Secretaria Regional da Agricultura e Alimentação

The application submitted by the Regional Secretariat for Agriculture and Food to the LIFE Programme in the European Pollinator Initiative thematic area, amounting to 2.78 million Euros, has been approved.

"It is a great satisfaction to note that our project has been approved, acknowledging the Government's public policies in applied sustainability and not theoretical sustainability," emphasised António Ventura, the Regional Secretary for Agriculture.

The LIFE POLLINIZAÇORES project aims to create more favourable conditions for the shelter, feeding and dispersal of pollinators in a diversity of agricultural and forest land uses. It will run for six years.

In addition to strengthening the capacity to produce plants for the work involving the island services of the Regional Secretariat for Agriculture and Food in Flores, Faial, S. Miguel and Terceira, the LIFE POLLINIZAÇORES project plans to use them to improve habitats in about 51 hectares on the same islands.

The approved interventions will take place in areas under the management of the Regional Secretariat for Agriculture and Food and other Regional Government bodies that are partners in the project. They will also cover private land under the management of agricultural and forestry producers and public areas under concession to third parties.

António Ventura pointed out that "the project includes a line of support for third parties, in the form of small incentives, to help with replication work similar to that carried out by the teams and partners involved."

The proposed interventions cover work to create more favourable conditions for the shelter, feeding and dispersal of pollinators in various agricultural land uses (pastures, orchards, horticultural production and flower production). They also comprise, in collaboration with other public and private entities, forest areas, agroforestry, roadsides, viewpoints, recreational and leisure parks, and urban gardens.

António Ventura noted that "with LIFE POLLINIZATIONS, the Regional Government is taking on a pioneering role in implementing European policies that point to the need to reverse the decline of pollinator communities, with a view to maximising the ecosystem services they offer to society, namely agricultural activity."

He continued: "This project is closely linked to agrifood producers, through the Azores Agricultural Federation, which contributes to its success."

For the development of this project, the Regional Secretariat for Agriculture and Food has partners such as KAIROS - Cooperative for the Incubation of Solidarity Economy Initiatives; the Regional Directorate for Forest Resources, the Regional Directorate for the Environment and Euroscut Açores - Sociedade Concessionária da Scut dos Açores.