Algarve's Mediterranean Diet Fair: Regional Leader Urges Collaboration to Secure €50M in EU Funds by October

Opening of the 11th Mediterranean Diet Fair

At the inauguration of the 11th Mediterranean Diet Fair, held yesterday, September 4th, in Tavira, the President of the Algarve's Regional Coordination and Development Commission (CCDR Algarve) made a strong appeal for cooperation. He emphasized the need to ensure the execution of funds from Portugal 2030 and the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR) by 2025. "In the Public Administration, we are bound to the public interest and the common good. It is in the public interest, the regional public interest, to execute the European Cohesion Funds allocated to the Algarve region in this year of 2025," he stated.

Importance of Collaborative Networks

He further highlighted the critical role of creating networks of articulation to guarantee the best and fastest execution of programs. "Currently, we have €24 million executed. Together, by October 31st, we need to execute and submit validated expenses for an additional €50 million," he declared. This underscores the urgency and scale of the financial mobilization required.

Strategic Investment and Regional Collaboration

The Mediterranean Diet Fair was developed through a network approach, involving regional entities like the CCDR Algarve, with strategic investment from the Tavira Municipality. Strong collaboration from the In Loco Association and local producers has been key. The fair is based on a concerted strategy among regional entities, institutional partners, and the community, reflecting the consensus that led to the Plan of Activities for the Safeguarding of the Mediterranean Diet (PASDM) in the Algarve. This is a transversal and structuring project capable of mobilizing essential dimensions for regional development and strengthening—from cultural identity to sustainable production and consumption.

Highlights of the Fair

The 11th Mediterranean Diet Fair runs in Tavira until September 7th. The CCDR Algarve's participation includes a series of initiatives reaffirming the commitment to safeguarding the Mediterranean Diet, in a collective effort that enhances territorial cohesion and values common heritage. Yesterday, the CCDR Algarve stand opened with the presentation of the Bolo de Tacho, an Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH), by the Monchique Parish Council. The project Saber Fazer from the Directorate-General for the Arts was also invited, an initiative aimed at valuing and preserving traditional arts in Portugal, which are highly diverse in the Monchique territory.

Inaugural Seminar and Economic Insights

The fair's kickoff was marked by the seminar "Mediterranean Diet: Much More than a Meal – Governance and Participation" at the Tavira Agricultural Experimentation Center. The initiative featured the presentation of the study "The Economic Value of Agriculture in the Algarve" by Rui Faustino from Ernst & Young, followed by a debate moderated by the president of the Regional Delegation of the Order of Economists, Cláudio Lima, and a roundtable with national and regional sector representatives.