The Regional Secretary for Agriculture and Forestry considered that it is essential for young Azorean farmers to increasingly invest in their training so that they may have more efficient and more profitable farms, lower production costs and be better prepared to overcome the permanent challenges of sector.

"One of the great challenges in agriculture concerns the growing investment in training. Farmers who have the greatest and best technical knowledge will be better prepared to render their farms more efficient and with lower production costs, "said João Ponte. he spoke at a diploma delivery session for 15 young graduates who completed the training course on dairy cattle on the island of São Miguel.

For the government official, young people who attended this training course are now endowed with an "essential tool" to pursue a career in the agricultural sector, thus managing their farms more efficiently.

"The delivery of diplomas is a symbolic moment that marks the culmination of several hours of training, the acquisition of new knowledge and will now be followed by the practical application of knowledge on the ground," said João Ponte. In this regard, the government official added that the Azores and the agricultural sector need many young farmers to ensure a generational renewal and the sustainability of the sector.

"The Regional Government has undertaken efforts and will continue to do so in order to provide training to more young farmers and to attract young people to a sector that has future," stressed João Ponte. According to him, all the public investment in this area is justifiable, highly reproductive and has a strategic component.

João Ponte pointed out that more than 300 thousand Euros will be invested in training courses on various themes for farmers in the period between 2017 and 2018, covering more than 4,200 trainees.

The Regional Secretary concluded with a word of thanks to all those involved in the training courses, pointing out that these graduates who have receive their course certificates had the opportunity to undertake a field trip to Ireland. This has "certainly broadened their horizons."