Sixteen candidates opt for the Rural Tenerife Awards 2022 that bear the name of the long-awaited Pedro Molina (1959-2018), who was president of the Tenerife Livestock Association (Agate) and a great supporter of the island’s agricultural world. Organized by the councilthrough the Tenerife Rural Foundation, the awards, which are in their twelfth edition, aim to highlight the role of the primary sector in the conservation of biodiversity, the landscape and the territorial balance of the island’s geography.
The Tenerife Rural Awards are divided into five categories and recognize the trajectory of those people or entities that have stood out for their contribution to the conservation of agricultural and livestock biodiversity, to research and promotion of the values of the rural world of Tenerife, and to the conservation of rural and marine heritage. It is the way to follow in the footsteps of someone who was a great defender of the countryside and of Tenerife farmers throughout his life.
Likewise, the distinctions recognize innovative business initiatives that contribute to the sustainable development of rural environments. There is also space to honor the fundamental role of women in the consolidation and conservation of the values of the rural world.
Customs and traditions
The island councilor for Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, Javier Parrilla, emphasizes the importance of these awards, “which help to make visible the work and commitment of our farmers, ranchers and ranchers with the economic development of rural areas”, In addition, he adds, “they allow us to continue protecting and valuing our customs and traditions.”
Parrilla emphasizes “the firm commitment of this government group to agriculture, livestock and fishing, which contribute to guaranteeing food security, conserving our agricultural landscapes, defending our traditions and, of course, preserving our native breeds.” ”.
In the opinion of the councilor of the Cabildo, “these awards represent an opportunity to recover our customs, to value all that knowledge and ancestral knowledge, and to generate a meeting point that reconciles us with our past.”
Last year, in the eleventh edition, the Cabildo recognized, in an emotional act held at the Tenerife Auditorium, the work of the Marías del Parque Rural de Teno, for their many years of silent and essential work to support families and the surroundings of the Massif.
Antonio María Jiménez González was also honored for his conservation and maintenance work on the Tenerife Sur goat variety; and a special mention, posthumously, was awarded to Victoriano Hernández Trujillo, who died during the process of convening the awards, for a lifetime dedicated to agricultural and livestock work during his almost 100 years of life.
In the same way, the traditional fisherman Guillermo Vera de León was awarded for his communicative spirit and his continuous transmission of knowledge to all the generations that have succeeded him; to the Altos de Trevejos Winery; and Luján González Izquierdo, referent of the recovery of customs and traditions of Taganana.