Only 6% of the owners of agricultural holdings in Tenerife they are less than 35 years old. In 2022, the Island’s Agricultural Extension Agencies advised, assisted, and guided a total of 211 entrepreneurs and 43 companies. The Cabildo intends to alleviate this reality with a new call for the Agrojoven awards. They will be endowed in 2023 with a total of 14,400 euros to promote the generational change in the Tenerife countryside.
The insular Councilor for Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, Javier Parrilla, highlights the importance of this project for promoting this relay and professionalization, in addition to defending “the fair social consideration of the work of people linked to agricultural activity and rural development of the island ».
The Island Government Council approved yesterday the bases and the call for a contest that recognizes and distinguishes business projects carried out by young people from the island’s countryside.
Challenge for the sector
The Island Councilor for Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, Javier Parrilla, recalls that the generational change is one of the main challenges in the agricultural sector. He argues about it that “In Tenerife, only 6 percent of the total holders of agricultural holdings are under 35 years of age.” Hence the importance, he adds, of continuing to promote this type of project ».
Two modalities
The Agrojoven awards, endowed with 14,400 euros, are divided into two modalities. The first will recognize those projects that have been launched 24 months before the end of the application submission period. The three best initiatives will receive an economic amount of 5,000, 4,000 and 3,000 euros, depending on the score.
The second modality will distinguish the best business ideas among those that have not yet been launched. Four prizes of 600 euros will be awarded to each of the four best valued proposals. In all, 2,400.
Agrojoven Awards 2022
Jenifer Santos Cabrera’s organic artisan cheese factory was recognized with the 2022 Agrojoven Award for the best business initiative. Jenifer assured that this award represents important support to continue with the cheese factory, “a project that I have been working on for more than six years and that shows that organic farming is possible and profitable in Tenerife.” He also recalled that what is now called organic production “It is nothing more than what our grandfathers and grandmothers did 40 or 50 years ago”, which is why he encouraged other farmers to opt for this system, which contributes to a more sustainable management of the territory.
The second prize went to Antonio Díaz Álvarez for his Malpaís Hot Sauce project, a registered trademark that produces 100% handmade hot sauces, seasonings and jams. Meanwhile, the third was awarded to David Jesús Cabrera for his organic red fruit production, distribution and marketing company in the municipality of Fasnia.
less than 41 years
The contest is aimed at individuals under 41 years of age, registered in any municipality on the Island, regardless of their nationality. Those legal-private persons in which at least half of their members are under the age of 41 and participate in the same proportion in the social capital may also participate. In addition, they must have their registered office in Tenerife.
requests
The deadline for submitting applications will be 20 business days, from the day following the publication of the call in the Official Gazette of the Province (BOP). The business projects admitted to the contest will be evaluated by a committee made up of technical personnel from the Cabildo and from other entities in the agricultural sector and rural development, based on the established evaluation criteria. The application form and the bases are available to interested parties at the electronic headquarters of the Cabildo (sede.tenerife.es). They may also request information at the Agricultural Extension Agencies, through the telephone numbers 901 501 901 and 922 239 500.
