Tenerife Weekly
  • Home
  • About
  • El Diario
  • Diario de Avisos
  • El Dia
  • Europa Press
  • La Laguna
  • El Digital Sur
  • Atlantico
  • Press Releases
  • Essentials
  • Blog
  • Contact
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • About
  • El Diario
  • Diario de Avisos
  • El Dia
  • Europa Press
  • La Laguna
  • El Digital Sur
  • Atlantico
  • Press Releases
  • Essentials
  • Blog
  • Contact
No Result
View All Result
Tenerife Weekly
No Result
View All Result
Home Europa Press

Canary Islands Encourage Gofio Consumption with Innovative ‘Olympic Breakfast’ Initiative for Students

December 11, 2024
in Europa Press
Reading Time: 3 mins read
0
Canary Islands Encourage Gofio Consumption with Innovative ‘Olympic Breakfast’ Initiative for Students
3
SHARES
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

LA LAGUNA (TENERIFE), 11 (EUROPA PRESS)

The President of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo, along with the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food Sovereignty, Narvay Quintero, visited the Princesa Tejina Early Childhood and Primary Education Centre (CEIP) in Tenerife this Wednesday to gain insight into the progress of the ‘El gofio, Olympic breakfast’ initiative, which has already reached a thousand Canarian students through the public company GMR Canarias.

This initiative, championed by former Olympic athlete Mario Pestano, aims to raise awareness about the benefits of this local ‘superfood’, while also bolstering the agricultural sector and encouraging healthy lifestyles.

As part of the ‘Grow Together’ strategy implemented by the Government of the Canary Islands, the programme is currently active in a dozen educational establishments across Tenerife and Gran Canaria, featuring informational talks and sports demonstrations led by the athlete, involving both the students and Physical Education instructors.

In addition to ‘El gofio, Olympic breakfast’, the cooperation between the Canary Islands Executive, the agricultural sector and the educational field is also realised through two other major initiatives: the Canary Islands Eco-eaters Programme and the School Plan for the Consumption of Fruits and Vegetables.

Both of these initiatives promote the intake of local, fresh, and seasonal produce amongst students, thus fostering local production on the islands and advocating for healthy nutrition, according to a statement from the Government.

In his remarks, President Fernando Clavijo emphasised that “The Canary Islands have developed a model for other autonomous communities to emulate, combining the promotion of the consumption of locally sourced products with the encouragement of healthy habits among young people, benefitting local producers and the entire educational community while fostering sustainable development that prioritises rural areas.”

The head of the regional government announced that the ‘El gofio, Olympic breakfast’ initiative will be expanded next year to other educational centres, a conclusion reached by the Ministry of Agriculture in light of the pilot programme’s success.

In comments to the media, Minister Narvay Quintero reaffirmed that gofio, “beyond being a traditional product with numerous advantages, integral to the identity of the Canary Islands, is a distinguished quality product made under the Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) label.” He added that due to the positive outcomes achieved, this initiative, originally a pilot project, will be extended to other centres on the non-capital islands, prioritising those educational institutions near gofio mills.

THE GOFIO SECTOR IN NUMBERS

Gofio is regarded as a ‘superfood’ that boasts numerous attributes and exceptional nutritional value, containing various vitamins, minerals, unsaturated fatty acids, and amino acids, as highlighted by the Government.

It supplies athletes with carbohydrates that assimilate at a medium to slow rate, both soluble and insoluble fibre, vitamins B, A, and D, as well as minerals like calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, phosphorus, iron, and zinc, in addition to omega-6 fatty acids and a variety of amino acids.

At present, there are 37 operational gofio mills across Tenerife, Gran Canaria, La Palma, La Gomera, El Hierro, Fuerteventura, and Lanzarote.

The overall annual production stands at 6,745 tonnes, with approximately 5,000 tonnes allocated for the Canarian market and 1,707 tonnes exported.

In terms of composition, 58% of the gofio produced in the Canary Islands is made from millet. The next most significant types are wheat at 20%, cereal mix at 16%, and cereal and legume blend at 4%.

Gran Canaria is the leading producer of gofio, contributing 52% of the total volume in the archipelago, followed by Tenerife, which accounts for 31% of the volume, together making up 83% of the Canary Islands’ production.

Production in La Palma and La Gomera represents 13% and 4% respectively, with the other three islands, El Hierro, Fuerteventura, and Lanzarote, contributing less than 1% of the total.

REFERENCES IN SCHOOL MENUS

The Ecocomedores de Canarias Programme was launched in 2013 as a groundbreaking initiative and has established itself as a national benchmark over the last decade by providing school menus composed of organic, fresh, and seasonal products.

This collaborative programme not only supports local consumption but also promotes ecological agriculture and livestock farming, encouraging sustainable rural development.

The success of ‘Ecocomedores’ has been so profound that other autonomous communities, such as the Basque Country, Navarra, and Valencia, have looked to adopt similar models.

Currently, it benefits over 23,000 diners and is organised around a regional network that includes 105 eco-farmers and 172 participating entities, with 168 of those being educational centres.

Meanwhile, the ‘School Plan for Fruit and Vegetable Consumption’, which is funded by the European Union, aims to encourage healthy eating habits among schoolchildren in the Canary Islands by distributing fresh fruits and vegetables to students.

Hence, during the 2024-2025 academic year, 223,341 kilos of these products will be distributed among 67,794 students across 348 schools.

This initiative, which also aids in combating childhood obesity—one of the key health concerns regarding the child and youth population—includes various educational activities designed to raise awareness among children about the importance of a balanced diet based on these products, regular physical activity, and responsible food consumption, all of which will be conducted both inside and outside of schools.

Related Posts

Seized a yacht with cocaine about 50 miles south of the Canaries, recovering 25 kilograms of the drug.
Europa Press

Seized a yacht with cocaine about 50 miles south of the Canaries, recovering 25 kilograms of the drug.

July 7, 2025
Clavijo Brands it “Indecent” for Regions Not to Aid Young Migrants; Warns of Potential Prosecutor Involvement
Europa Press

Clavijo Brands it “Indecent” for Regions Not to Aid Young Migrants; Warns of Potential Prosecutor Involvement

June 26, 2025
Torres Shifts Responsibility for Material Purchases to SCS and Assures No Recordings of His Wrongdoing Will Emerge
Europa Press

Torres Shifts Responsibility for Material Purchases to SCS and Assures No Recordings of His Wrongdoing Will Emerge

June 23, 2025
No Result
View All Result

Click Image to Join Community

Tenerife Forum Community

Previous News

Health studies a second case in the Canary Islands of suspected monkeypox

Health studies a second case in the Canary Islands of suspected monkeypox

3 years ago
Runner-up for Bida in the Canarian League Interclubes of 3rd Category of padel

Runner-up for Bida in the Canarian League Interclubes of 3rd Category of padel

4 years ago
La Laguna investigates Franco’s repression of women

La Laguna investigates Franco’s repression of women

3 years ago
Román Rodríguez advances the ‘no’ of NC to the port of Fonsalía

Román Rodríguez advances the ‘no’ of NC to the port of Fonsalía

4 years ago
Potatoes are already more expensive than ever in Tenerife

Potatoes are already more expensive than ever in Tenerife

2 years ago
Woman injured after being run over on TF-2

Woman injured after being run over on TF-2

2 years ago
No Result
View All Result

News Highlights

Can La Palma Have Its First Geothermal Power Station? Here Are the Areas Being Investigated

The Majorero Donkey Endures the Heat to Succeed in Aguere

Our Lady of Mount Carmel (and III)

The tram strike committee resumes negotiations with Metropolitano de Tenerife.

Sardà and Valdano Reflect on Maturity in a CaixaBank Discussion in Tenerife

The Leal Theatre presents a musical journey for all audiences this weekend.

Trending News

Aemet Issues Severe Heat Warnings in the Canaries: We’re Not Ready
Atlantico

Aemet Issues Severe Heat Warnings in the Canaries: We’re Not Ready

by Admin
July 18, 2025
0

This Friday, 18th July, the Canary Islands will once again be in the spotlight of the State...

The Canary Sports Observatory: Rigorous and Accessible Data for Informed Decision-Making

The Canary Sports Observatory: Rigorous and Accessible Data for Informed Decision-Making

July 18, 2025
The giant Zamna reveals its lineup of artists for the upcoming launch in Tenerife.

The giant Zamna reveals its lineup of artists for the upcoming launch in Tenerife.

July 18, 2025
Can La Palma Have Its First Geothermal Power Station? Here Are the Areas Being Investigated

Can La Palma Have Its First Geothermal Power Station? Here Are the Areas Being Investigated

July 18, 2025
The Majorero Donkey Endures the Heat to Succeed in Aguere

The Majorero Donkey Endures the Heat to Succeed in Aguere

July 18, 2025
Tenerife Weekly

© 2025 Tenerife Weekly

Navigate Site

  • Tenerife Forum
  • Tenerife Travel Shop
  • Ask Tenerife
  • Guide
  • Adobe
  • Linkedin
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • About
  • El Diario
  • Diario de Avisos
  • El Dia
  • Europa Press
  • La Laguna
  • El Digital Sur
  • Atlantico
  • Press Releases
  • Essentials
  • Blog
  • Contact

© 2025 Tenerife Weekly