António Ventura praises quality of Azorean agri-food products on World Food Day - Communication

Secretaria Regional da Agricultura e Alimentação

The Regional Secretary for Agriculture and Food, António Ventura, declared today, on World Food Day, that it is "essential to highlight the agri-food products produced in the Azores, for their excellent quality and the example they set in terms of sustainable production."

"It is essential to praise the key role of farmers for their commitment, resilience, agricultural productivity, environmental maintenance, and conservation of animal and plant biodiversity," stated the government official. 

He continued: “We continue to grow in our food and nutritional self-sufficiency. Our agri-food products have unique features, and it is imperative to encourage local consumption, reducing dependence on imports. Public policies continue to be geared towards greater food productivity, boosting its quality and quantity.”

For António Ventura, it is vital to prioritise investments and support directed at agriculture. According to him, the "aim is to improve the technical, economic and environmental performance of farms," with a view, for example, to boosting competitiveness, contributing to the diversification of production and increasing the production of quality food.

These investments and support measures contribute to the rejuvenation of the sector's assets "as a lever for tackling unemployment, encouraging young people to remain in rural areas and creating jobs," he added.

The Regional Government has been working to promote agricultural development in the Region, ensuring safer, more credible and reliable food. The challenges remain huge due to adverse climatic and environmental conditions, yet the resilience and sustainability of food systems continue to be strengthened. The latter are key goals of public policies at European, national and regional levels.

The Regional Secretary also highlighted Azorean products certified as PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) or PGI (Protected Geographical Indication).

“We produce more in horticulture; in fruit growing, with an increase in fruit production area of 20%; the area of organic farming has grown by more than 3,000 hectares in the last four years; we have grown in beef production; we have more corn area, with 14,300 hectares in 2024, 2,000 hectares more than in 2020; we have more agricultural diversification and milk raw material with better nutritional content, selling more outside the region," he continued.

The Regional Secretary also acknowledged the work of all farmers in the Region and their organisations, particularly the Azores Agricultural Federation, "which has been a strategic and fundamental partner in the pursuit of public policies to increase progressive food sustainability" in the Region.

World Food Day has been celebrated since 1981 on October 16, the date corresponding to the founding of the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations), whose mission is to increase nutrition levels and quality of life, boost agricultural productivity and improve the living conditions of rural populations. This year, World Food Day is celebrated in tandem with the 80th anniversary of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO).