The director of the Biodiversity Foundation, a public foundation of the Government of Spain, under the Ministry of the Environment, Rural and Marine Affairs, Ana Leiva, signed today in Logroño a collaboration agreement with the president of the Professional Association of Organic Agriculture in La Rioja, José Ramón Abad, to develop the project “Increasing the contribution of the agri-food sector in La Rioja to the improvement of environmental conditions and sustainable consumption”. which promotes employment and good environmental practices in this Autonomous Community, within the framework of the Empleaverde Programme. The event was also attended by the delegate of the Government of La Rioja, José Antonio Ulecia.

The Biodiversity Foundation, as the managing body of the European Social Fund (ESF), allocates 193,513 euros to promote job creation, sustainable rural development and the improvement of the environment in La Rioja. This investment, 50% co-financed by the ESF, will be used to develop the project “Increasing the contribution of the agri-food sector in La Rioja to the improvement of environmental conditions and sustainable consumption” of the Rioja Professional Association of Organic Agriculture.

It will also allow the implementation of six other initiatives in this autonomous community aimed at environmental management, the agricultural sector, or tourism. These are the project of the Federation of Footwear Industries that focuses on eco-innovation and sustainability in the industry; “ENPlea Sostenible” by Europarc Spain and aimed at the conservation of biodiversity and the promotion of sustainable tourism and “Forestaula” by the Confederation of Organizations of Foresters of Spain aimed at the agricultural sector.

Likewise, COAG Rural Initiative will carry out the project “Training in the compatibility of agricultural management and wildlife,” the initiative to be carried out by the AZTI Foundation “ZUVISOST” is aimed at the agri-food industry while the project of the Technical Association for Waste Management, Urban Cleaning and the Environment will have an impact on the sustainable management and valuation of waste

Agri-food sector

The project to be carried out by the Riojan Professional Association of Organic Agriculture aims to raise awareness among workers in the agri-food sector (such as farmers, ranchers, shepherds and workers of SMEs and micro-SMEs and food micro-SMEs), about the impact that their productive activities generate on the environment. Likewise, it is intended to promote technological, economic and social changes that allow the sector to make the development of its activity compatible with the protection of the environment. In this way, it will be possible to increase the number of workers who will apply sustainable techniques and on the other, improve the economic viability of organic productions.

This project contemplates that workers know the functioning of ecosystems, and thus be able to assess the impact they produce on them with the techniques they develop; increase their knowledge and use of sustainable production, processing and marketing techniques; and to support the development of local markets in the supply of raw materials and in the marketing of processed products, promoting the sustainable consumption of healthy products.