Nearly 400 professionals and entities linked to agriculture, livestock and fishing have benefited from the incentive lines promoted by the island Institution
Curbelo values the pilot project for efficient irrigation in banana farms in Hermigua as “a decisive step towards agricultural modernization”
The Cabildo of La Gomera has allocated more than 1.8 million euros in the last three years to public incentives for the revitalization and strengthening of the island's primary sector, an investment that has allowed it to support nearly 400 beneficiaries linked to agriculture, livestock, fishing and agricultural associations on the island.
The president of the Cabildo, Casimiro Curbelo, highlighted the relevance of these measures to “guarantee the continuity and modernization of a strategic sector for La Gomera, which in addition to generating economy and employment, contributes to the conservation of the landscape and the sustainability of the territory.”
In this sense, he recalled that the insular Institution has been strengthening the lines of aid aimed at professionals and groups in the sector, adapting the regulatory bases to the real needs raised by the beneficiaries themselves, in addition to expanding the eligible concepts to facilitate greater coverage of investments and essential expenses.
The Minister of the Primary Sector, Noelia Morales, specified that among the supported actions are initiatives related to agriculture, livestock, fishing, guarapeo, viticulture and beekeeping, incorporating improvements such as subsidies for agricultural soil analysis, nutritional supplements for livestock, replacement of livestock units, repair of fishing vessels and extension of the eligible limit for equipment in the fishing sector.
Modernization of agricultural irrigation in Hermigua
The island president also valued the implementation of the cooperation agreement for the implementation of pilot banana farms with high-efficiency irrigation systems in the Hermigua Valley, an initiative jointly promoted by the Government of the Canary Islands, the Cabildo of La Gomera, the Hermigua City Council, the Insular Agricultural Cooperative and the Community of Irrigators of the Hermigua Valley.
The project includes an investment of 190 thousand euros and will allow the introduction of innovative technologies aimed at optimizing the use of water on agricultural farms, through localized drip irrigation systems, micro-sprinklers, automation and soil sensorization.
Curbelo stressed that this action "represents a decisive step towards the modernization of agricultural irrigation in La Gomera, especially in a context marked by the scarcity of water resources and the effects of climate change."
Likewise, he stressed that the pilot experience developed in Hermigua will allow the evaluation of the technical, economic and environmental viability of new, more sustainable irrigation models, becoming a reference for future actions in other agricultural areas of the island.
The project also includes training actions, technical conferences and educational activities aimed at farmers and technicians, as well as specific measures to encourage the incorporation of young professionals into the agricultural sector.
