Rural development, the joint path of Aresa and Campus Terra
The road towards the economic, social and environmental sustainability of how land is used is similar to a person’s life journey: it has curves, obstacles, and ups and downs, but the willingness and motivation to reach the final destination make every small step in the right direction be very rewarding.
22 years after its last edition, the Aresa Prize for Rural Development is back, by initiative of the Aresa group and the University of Santiago de Compostela. The call will remain open until January 14, 2022, according to the agreement that was recently signed by Rector Antonio López and Álvaro Rodríguez Eiras, President of Aresa.
Since its inception in 2000, the goal of the initiative is to recognise projects submitted by entities, companies, research groups, organisations or individuals that contribute to promote the development of rural areas in Galicia. Thus, in order to participate in this contest, the project in question must fit into one of these three categories: it improves the well-being of people living in the countryside and sheds light on the problems of the rural environment to the rest of society; encourages R&D&R in the agricultural and/or livestock fields; or works towards the sustainability of natural resources and respect for nature.
All interested parties can submit their entries to the Aresa Prize — the contest rules are available on its official website, along with all the required documentation. It can be submitted at any of the general registries —both physical and electronic— of the USC on Campus Terra and at the university headquarters of Santiago de Compostela.
The highlight of this edition will take place weeks after the closing of the call. The award ceremony, during which the winner receives a crash prize of 10,000 euros and a plaque, will be held in the city of Lugo. Generally, except for the previous edition, due to restrictions arising from the pandemic, it takes place in the auditorium of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine.
In the 2020 call, the traditional livestock breeding and the sustainable economic growth of the rural areas won cooperative A Carqueixa dos Ancares the crown. Just like this project made it very clear that talking about Lugo and Campus Terra is talking about the commitment to the land, the Aresa Award undeniably has a great track record, as it has achieved significant prestige in the field.