Description

The challenge concerns the revitalization and improvement of the economic activities of the primary sector (agriculture) in the Municipality of Góis, therefore fighting the desertification, defining innovative and sustainable solutions to exploit the potential of farming in the region on one side, and encouraging/motivating the young population to explore the employment opportunities offered by this sector on the other side.
The region can count on two important assets: the endogenous potential of the territory and the fact that the Municipality of Góis owns a farm of 5 hectares of land, equipped with facilities that enable the preparation, distribution and sale of agricultural products produced there and a multipurpose area for training and qualification of the unemployed population. The Municipality aims to establish more partnerships in the social sector, local authorities and with the private and business sectors, encouraging the dynamization of agricultural practice as an activity of future and for the future, as well as seeking solutions for unemployment, establishing young people and empowering the business community in the region.

Target

The targeted community is part of the municipal population. Góis has got a vast territorial area estimated at 263 square km and is characterized by a strong geographic isolation. The Municipality of Góis is included in the area called “Zona Serrana”, the most inner of Beira Litoral.
Marked by a very rugged geography and by an essentially micro-regional and local dimension, the social and economic life of the Municipality of Góis crosses with the form of implantation and development of the existing traditional agglomerates, presenting the territory in dispersed forms of settlement, as evidenced by the 190 existing settlements distributed by its four Parishes.
Young unemployed looking for the first job, unemployed or people with interest in sustainable agriculture (new techniques, permaculture) The group was chosen as it has been observed that this is the one with more difficulty to establish in the labor market.

Competencies

The challenge owner developed several programs to integrate this and other groups, by establishing a partnership with a local entity regarding agricultural training/qualification for the unemployed, it has allowed two micro companies to establish in the premises, being responsible for training 48 unemployed people and 30 employees from 2013 till now.
The partnership between the Municipality and ADIBER (Ass. de Desenvolvimento Integrado da Beira Serra) has been responsible for the different trainings/qualifications, the wild rabbit breeding center, biological vegetable garden for disabled and young children. ADIBER provides an Agriculture Engineer, and also the selling and distribution of the products for local structures to elderly and scholar institutions, the municipality provides a Social worker and also the financial support to the activities.

Innovation

If we can establish new units and improve the local economy, the unemployment rate would decrease and the lure of new and young “farmers” would enlarge the local population, thus meeting the Europa 2020 strategy and the priorities of Programa Operacional da Região Centro.
We are looking for innovative solutions that can help us exploiting the potential of farming:
Facilitating the production, manufacturing and distribution processes, through the introduction of innovative technological solutions, focused on primary processing; Involving more entrepreneurs to expand our network and to generate a more significant impact on the territory;
Extend to the other Parishes the “farms” concept in different agricultural sectors.

Commitment

Although resources were made available, there was insufficient exposure to guarantee the valorization of endogenous potential and there was no external interest to establish new partnerships and possibly micro enterprises.
There were 1200m2 made available for the installation of a forest nursery to a local entrepreneur; greenhouses with 2000m2 and an olive grove with 1.18 hectares available to ADIBER for horticultural production, aromatic herbs and others, where the training courses and the integration of the unemployed have been developed; a plot assigned to another private entrepreneur dedicated to the heliciculture with 2662m2; a wild rabbit breeding center supported by the Forest Association of Góis and the Municipality.
The Municipality of Góis and its partners have the knowhow to develop this challenge, however, more partners are required to use the know-how and the human resources available in the municipality to implement new micro enterprises that will develop new projects, new methods to increase efficiency and innovation in production.
The Municipality commits itself as it has done until today to make available all the human, financial and logistical resources compatible with its own function to all those interested in the development of projects that fit our challenge.

Compliance

The challenge complies 100% with the ethical standards.

The Challenge Owner

Camara Municipal de Goìs