Welcome to the Official page of the Presidency of the Portuguese Republic

Secretary of State for Rural Development and Forestry,
Honourable Mayor of Beja,
Honourable President of OVIBEJA,
Ladies and Gentlemen,


I had a special reason to accept the invitation to visit OVIBEJA this year: the pleasure to commemorate with you this event’s silver jubilee, and to share your happiness in having been able, during the last 25 years, to change a small local fair into a large agro-rural national event focused on the values, culture and products of the Alentejo.

The path tread by OVIBEJA has been under my sights for many years and as such I am able to appreciate the relevance with which this initiative has contributed towards the assertion of the Alentejo, of Rural Development and of Agriculture in general.

I would thus like to begin by congratulating all those who contributed towards maintaining and developing OVIBEJA, turning it into an area where to meet, to reflect, and to hold cultural and leisure events.

In order to assess the enormous change that this sector of activity underwent in a quarter of a century, it is necessary that we recall the situation of our agriculture twenty five years ago.

In 1983, when OVIBEJA was installed, the country was recovering from a particularly restive stage in the history of our agriculture, and Portugal was already preparing to join the European Economic Community.

With adhesion, Portuguese agriculturalists were faced with enormous challenges. Today we can say that our agriculture, contrary to the more pessimistic forecasts announced by many, demonstrated its readiness to compete with the rest of Europe and the world. So much so that the agricultural, agro-industrial and forestry sector which we now have, much more efficient and modernized, continues giving an important contribution to our economy.

How can we explained what was achieved, in spite of our natural and structural limitations? We have many instances that show us that the explanation lies with the Portuguese agriculturalists, with their efforts and tenacity. These are the true factors which have permitted difficulties to be overcome. Merit is thus due, before any other, to our agriculturalists.

Portuguese agriculturalists have demonstrated that they are at least as good as any other European agriculturalists. It is thus time that we changed our attitude. It is time to assert our pride for the much we have achieved.

I underline, solely as an example, the development of the sectors covering wine, tomato, rice, olive oil, milk, poultry farming, cork, of several segments of fruit, vegetable and floral cultivation, of the preservation of native breeds and of our extensive cattle farming, in which we were able to attain success, assert and dignify our products.

I know that the working conditions in agriculture are difficult, uncertain and, at times, disappointing. I know it is difficult to endure a view which is very often suspicious and at times unfair, and even hostile, from an urban society that not always understands the contribution given by those that have the mission and the responsibility to exercise the agricultural, forestry and agro-industrial activities.

We must never forget that a great part of what we are and what we wish to continue being was born in the countryside. Agriculture, after all, is more than just economy, it is culture. OVIBEJA has shown it, year after year.

But agriculture is also part of the economy and, more than ever, of the international economy. Currently, prices for basic products are rising very fast and are indicative that the trend is being maintained. This situation has engendered great unrest and even some speculative international operations.

Several factors explain what is happening: as a start, failures in production for climatic reasons, incentives for the production of bio fuels and the growing access to new levels of income and new standards of consuming in many regions of the world.

Few, however, seem to recall that agricultural prices fell systematically for many years and are now growing, partly because they were low, to the point of discouraging production and, consequently, supply in the world market.

This stage has not only ended, but has also been reversed, and this, apart from raising grievous doubts at many levels, opens, in any case, new possibilities to agricultural producers. I am deeply hopeful that our agriculturalists are ready to avail themselves of this opportunity.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The European Union is once again reviewing the Common Agricultural Policy. It is expected that the reviewing procedure will be completed during the second half of the current year, under the French presidency, but its deeper effects should only occur after 2013.

In this respect, I will only put forward one hope: that this issue is considered as a priority and that it will be discussed amongst us with the required time and depth. And, also, with the participation of the interested parties, all of the interested parties, in order that the views of the institutions which represent the producers are duly taken into account.

One of the characteristics of our agricultural sector is its extreme fragmentation. We have, along with minimal self consuming peasant farming, family agriculture for complementing of income partially veered towards the market, entrepreneurial market agriculture and, nowadays also, an agriculture managed by large corporations, some of them internationally based. All these models of agricultural operation have specific virtues and must be taken into account when policies are established and carried out.

We have to squarely face one of our greatest issues, which is that of land occupation, in order to become aware that the suitable degree of territorial balance can only be reached if we maintain the different models of land exploitation. Without productive activities and without quality of living, many farmers will leave the sector and a fair portion of the interior of the country could be condemned to abandonment. Thus it is imperative to invest in the sustainability of the various types of agriculture, in the recovery of heritage and in the valuation of the rural landscape.

For that reason, as well, we cannot only have regard for the wet crops or those segments of production which have more comparative advantages in the context of the world market. Even if with greater relevance, competitiveness may not always be the sole measure of national interest, when agriculture is in the balance.

I understand the special interest with which agriculturalists face the future. You may be certain that the President of the Republic has particular interest in your concerns.

I am concerned with climate change and the impact it may have, specifically in Southern Europe.

The growing loss in biodiversity must be stopped and we must do our utmost, not just to conserve it, but, in many cases, restore and improve it.

In the energy field, I have hopes for the contribution that the agro-forestry sector may offer for truly alternative remedies to be found.

Sufficiently effective European devices must be set up to manage crises, whether these are determined by natural causes or by sicknesses and plagues which quickly become global, with grievous economic and social consequences.

We have to guarantee general security in food supply as well as the quality and genuineness of the specific products of our regions, the disappearance of which would be disastrous for our heritage.

I know that these priorities and these concerns are understood and shared by many Portuguese, whether agriculturalists or not.

But I also know that, only with dialogue and pedagogy, with a spirit of openness and of cooperation, will we be able to set up in Portugal a common and mustering vision, avoiding senseless antagonisms which rob us of the energy we require to better face the problems of Portuguese agriculture.

After having closely accompanied the changes occurred in the last twenty five years, I am certain that OVIBEJA will become, in this City of Peace, an area of quiet reflection where Portuguese agriculturalists can plan their future.

Thank you.