The General Director of Agricultural and Livestock Production of the Andalusian Government, Daniel Quesada, together with the Delegate for Agriculture, Water, Fisheries and Rural Development, Antonio Mena, have visited a multi-chapel greenhouse vegetable farm of a young farmer who on March 31, 2023, was awarded a subsidy aimed at the creation of companies for young farmers, within the framework of the Rural Development program of Andalusia 2014-2020, for an amount of 90,000 euros.
Daniel Quesada wanted to thank the Coprohníjar cooperative, of which this young farmer is a member, for its important work, “because it addresses generational change through a tangible project.” “Young Andalusian farmers will make this region lead the new agricultural revolution that we are facing due to the demands of an increasingly globalized world and the demands of international markets,” explained the general director of AGAPA.
During this visit, in which he was accompanied by the mayor of Níjar and the technical team of this Territorial Delegation, Antonio Mena, he highlighted «the drive of young farmers and ranchers in the province and advocated the priority role of young people dedicated to the agricultural sector in its different aspects, in addition to highlighting the importance of the generational change in this professional activity.» Mena also stressed the support of the Junta de Andalucía for agricultural and livestock activity and the people who work for its development.
The mayor of Níjar, José Francisco Garrido, has thanked “the effort and sacrifice of young farmers and ranchers for their ability to combine tradition and innovation in a land where the agricultural sector is a priority and a firm pillar in the local and provincial economy.”
For his part, the general director, Daniel Quesada, has announced that “the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development is going to launch a new call for aid for the modernisation of machinery for an amount of 100 million euros, of which 50 million euros will be allocated to the Andalusian olive sector to respond to the serious effects that the drought is having, especially on these farms.”
These new grants will be launched to support the acquisition of machinery and equipment for farms in Andalusia. These subsidies, which are part of the Rural Development Programme (RDP) of Andalusia 2014-2020, seek to improve the overall performance and sustainability of farms. In addition, the upgrade that involves the incorporation of new machines will also contribute to increasing efficiency in the use of energy and natural resources.
In this way, the Andalusian Government hopes that these subsidies will have an impact on improving the economic results of the farms and facilitating their restructuring and modernisation.
Coprohníjar Generation
The owner of the farm they visited is part of the ‘Generación Coprohníjar’ project, which the Níjar cooperative is carrying out with young farmers who want to continue with the generational change. The cooperative awards the farms, after a draw among all the members who wish to have a greenhouse for rent with an option to buy, equipped with everything necessary, solar panels for electricity supply and each one also has a reservoir and agricultural warehouse with an automated irrigation system, spacious access roads and widening areas for managing the farm in a comfortable and efficient way.