António Ventura announces Fruit Growing Interpretation Centre, funded by European projects - Communication

Secretaria Regional da Agricultura e Alimentação

The Regional Secretary for Agriculture and Food, António Ventura, visited the Lagoa Seca Experimental Centre in Furnas, on the island of São Miguel, this morning to mark the beginning of a new phase in the revitalisation of this site, which will be home to the future Fruit Growing Interpretation Centre and a Centre for the Dissemination of Good Agricultural Practices in the Circular Economy.

These structural works, which involve the renovation of the existing building, will be funded by the European LIFE IP AGRILOOP and LIFE POLINIZAÇORES projects. The applications were submitted by the Regional Secretariat for Agriculture and Food and were approved with a total budget of €30 million.

According to the Secretary for Agriculture, “this visit is much more than simply monitoring a project; it marks the beginning of a new phase of revitalisation for a site of significant historical and scientific value, which will play a strategic role in Azorean agriculture.”

The government official emphasised the impact of this redevelopment: “We want the Lagoa Seca Experimental Centre to be a leading example in demonstrating innovative solutions, preserving our fruit genetic heritage and promoting sustainable and regenerative agricultural practices, putting this knowledge at the service of farmers and future generations,” he said.

The Lagoa Seca Experimental Centre already plays a key role in the conservation of collections of regional varieties of apple, pear, plum and kiwi trees – many of which are rare or at risk of extinction. 

As part of an ongoing effort, the São Miguel Agrarian Development Services have been collecting traditional varieties not only on this island but throughout the archipelago to create a genuine gene bank for Azorean fruit growing.

The new investments also provide for the establishment and upgrading of organic farming demonstration plots and the development of initiatives to promote biodiversity, notably through the creation of pollinator strips and nurseries for propagating plant species, thereby contributing to a more sustainable, resilient and ecosystem-friendly form of agriculture.

The site is also notable for its rich ornamentation and landscaping, home to a variety of tree and shrub species, including an impressive collection of camellias (Camellia japonica) spread across several areas, azaleas (Rhododendron simsii), hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla), panicled hydrangeas (Hydrangea paniculata), the tea plant (Camellia sinensis L.), rhododendrons (Rhododendron arboreum Sm.), Chinese magnolia (Magnolia soulangeana), magnolia figo (Michelia figo Lour.),  cockspur coral tree (Erythrina crista-galli), European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.), Japanese maple (Acer palmatum), sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) and pecan (Carya illinoinensis), amongst others.

With this transformation, the Regional Government is bolstering its strategy of investing in applied research, agricultural innovation and the development of local resources, thereby promoting a sector that is increasingly competitive, resilient and well-prepared to face the economic and environmental challenges of the future.