The Cabildo of Fuerteventura, in collaboration with the Chamber of Commerce of the island, has launched AgroFuer, a new initiative aimed at boosting the economy of the inland areas by promoting local products and traditional crafts. This proposal is part of the ‘Fuerte por Naturaleza’ programme, driven by the Ministry of Tourism and funded by the European Next Generation EU funds, with a budget of €115,000.
The Minister of Tourism, Marlene Figueroa, highlighted the importance of linking the growth of the tourism sector with the development of rural communities. “The tourism sector, when well understood, generates employment and acts as a driving force for local economies,” she explained. In this regard, she emphasised that AgroFuer was born “so that the more remote producers from the coast, those who give meaning and identity to Fuerteventura, can also benefit from a sector that has managed to create wealth around the beaches.”
The agreement was signed by the Minister herself and the president of the Chamber of Commerce, Juan Jesús Rodríguez Marichal, and includes actions aimed at strengthening the economic and social fabric of the island’s interior. The main action will be the organisation of a large zero-kilometre product fair, which will facilitate direct connections between producers and consumers, promoting local consumption, supporting the primary sector, and enhancing the less advantaged areas affected by conventional tourism.
Additionally, the project will include the holding of two traditional craft workshops, which will be taught by professionals in the sector at various locations across the island. These activities aim to recover and preserve traditional crafts, encourage the generational transmission of knowledge, and reinforce craftsmanship as a cultural heritage and an opportunity for sustainable economic development.
“This aims to promote a more equitable distribution of the economic benefits derived from the sector,” asserted Figueroa, in line with the inclusive vision of the programme.
AgroFuer thus joins other initiatives under the ‘Fuerte por Naturaleza’ programme, which seeks to diversify the island’s economy from a sustainable perspective, strengthening the identity of the territory and its connection with quality tourism.
