Objective and scope
The Espai Test Agrari de Ponent responds to structural challenges in the agricultural sector, including the ageing of the professional population and access barriers for people without family ties. It is conceived as a test environment to evaluate the technical and economic viability of organic agricultural production projects before their professional consolidation.
Project Components
The project is implemented through the Viver d’Agricultores de Rufea, a test space in the Horta de Lleida managed by the Lleida City Council with the support of the Daniel and Nina Carasso Foundation. The nursery provides farms with organic certification (between 0.5 and 1 hectare and with a use contract of up to five years), access to irrigation, storage and shared machinery, as well as specialized advice on sustainable production, marketing and technical support for those who develop their production plan.
Alignment with Sustainable Food
The Espai Test Agrari de Ponent participates in an intervention model that the Foundation promotes to accelerate the transition towards fair and sustainable food systems, strengthening links between organic production, responsible consumption and revitalization of rural territories. The RETA, coordinated by the Association of Rural Initiatives of Catalonia (ARCA), adds testing spaces in various autonomous communities in order to expand structural opportunities for new agents in the agricultural sector.