The Regional Secretary for Agriculture and Forestry stated today that investment in agricultural infrastructures on the island of Graciosa has increased 50%, comparing the current legislative period with the previous one. This represents direct benefits for farmers in terms of better working conditions, reduction of production costs and improvement the farms' competitiveness. 

"This indicator is a good sign of the attention and effort undertaken by the Regional Government to make agriculture on the island of Graciosa increasingly sustainable, more competitive and capable of facing future challenges," said João Ponte. In this regard, he added that the Government will invest nearly 1.6 million Euros in the current legislative period in roads, water supply and electrification of farms. 

The government official spoke on the sidelines of a visit to the site of the improvement works of Fajã Rural Road, Graciosa Island, which extends over 450 meters and will benefit two dozen farmers in an area of 10 hectares, representing a global investment of 153 thousand Euros. 

João Ponte stressed that, more than looking at what has been done, it is important to look to the future with ambition and renewed dynamics, so that we can continue to better serve farmers and respond to the needs of the sector towards the path of progress and development. 

In this regard, the Regional Secretary highlighted the example of Vales agricultural road, also on the island of Graciosa. Without prejudice to a short-term intervention to improve bottlenecks, it will be necessary to move forward, in the next legislative period, with a complete improvement work, given the vast agricultural area it covers.