The subdelegate of the Government in Pontevedra, Abel Losada, has urged this Thursday young agricultural professionals to register in the Cultiva program, an initiative of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food that in the province offers 11 training stays in five agricultural and livestock farms located in O Rosal, Cerdedo-Cotobade, Vila de Cruces, Redondela, and Tomiño.
The deadline to submit applications is open until September 15, and the program covers accommodation, food, and transportation expenses.
The proposal in Pontevedra is part of the 58 stays planned in Galicia and the more than 300 available throughout Spain. "The program offers the youngest professionals in the primary sector the opportunity to learn directly from other farms that are benchmarks for their innovation, sustainability, or business model," pointed out the subdelegate, who emphasized that they can later apply that knowledge in their own farms.
In O Rosal, the stay will take place in an organic farming operation dedicated to the production of fruits, vegetables, legumes, and oilseeds, which is among the highest rated by program participants.
In Cerdedo-Cotobade, six stays will be developed in a project focused on beekeeping and mycology, while in Vila de Cruces the training will take place in a farm oriented to the breeding and fattening of "porco celta" and beef cattle of "rubia galega".
The offer is completed with a horticultural farm in Redondela and a nursery operation in Tomiño, which bets on digitalization, process automation, and efficient use of resources.
The Cultiva program is aimed at agricultural professionals up to 40 years old who are owners of farms, or for those 41 or older who started in the sector in the last 5 years.
Participants can choose farms with the same or different productions as theirs, and located anywhere in Spain. This year it has an initial allocation of 1.2 million euros, which can be increased, and the stays will take place starting in January 2027.
In the allocation of places, priority is given to women, those who have recently joined agricultural activity, and those who have not participated in previous programs. Since its launch in 2020, Cultiva has accumulated more than 900 participants.