City profile for Ourense
Recovering traditional style and food production in Seixalbo ‌
Since 2009 the city council is supporting a patrimonial rehabilitation of houses in Seixalbo, a 780 inhabitant’s village in Est Ourense peri urban area. This place is well known for its dynamic social life also connected with traditional food culture. Most of the dweller families own allotments. The idea of recreate a local air market on one of the village squares may be an occasion of linking local hobby farmers and professional producers with consumers coming from the city centre.
University of Vigo Science Faculty Research Groups‌
Currently, University is building on cross-fertilization between 3 curriculums of Food Science & Technology, Agricultural Engineering and Environmental Science. The 300 students are likely to take active part in the Ourense food project by working on local food system and be vector of sensitization.
Urban vegetable plots for citizens‌
City Council has developed a pilot project on urban vegetable gardens: an area of 2.000m² where citizens are welcome to farm their own horticulture products. A little portion of these allotments are reserved to primary schools, where kids develop several educational projects.
Ourense and Canedo Central Market refurbishment‌
The city council is focused on the rehabilitation of the two traditional markets in order to make integrated projects and promote local vegetables and food production. The new markets will include facilities as complementary supermarket, parking and new bases for developing social life as bars, restaurants, meeting points. Currently, consumers can have free public transport access if coming to shop at the local markets.
Sabores de Ourense…
“Sabores de Ourense” tooks place twice a year, two weeks in Autumn and two weeks in Spring since 4 years. Restaurants, pubs and taverns are invited to create small dishes (“tapas”) on a topic proposed, usually the use of local and seasonal raw products, to enter a sort of popularity and quality contest. Several prize categories are awarded regarding public vote, professional jury, press jury, etc... With around 6.000 votes and around 40 businesses involved, this event is quite popular among neighbors and is also a tourist attraction.
Ourense VI Agroecological Week‌
Since 2005, several local civic associations (ecologic NGOs, cultural associations, etc) have joined forces in order to organize one-week event on ecological and sustainable agriculture. Several issues are addressed in an extent program of activities: ecological seeds bank exchange, panels, round tables, excursions to agroecological farms, etc.
Market Food Lab‌
Hands-on food lab located inside the market and animated by a mix of students may appeal the population passing by with all kinds of animations regarding the promotion of sustainable food. A new cooperation between students from the food sciences, tourism and business curriculums may be efficient to cover the whole topic of supply chain from farm to fork. This initiative could also attract younger people and student families in the market.
Villages Project Groups‌
The high dynamic village of Seixalbo is the pilot of an experimental project pooling of unused land for market gardening. The organisation of such an innovative project relies on the cooperation between inhabitants that would rent or lend allotments to new farmers of different kinds: urban citizens that want to grow food or need complementary incomes, unemployment people, hobby farmers‌ In case of success, 10 other villages selected for their food production potential could be involved. The Village Project Groups based on local authorities, neighbourhood, cultural associations and citizens may ensure strong roots in the territory and user participation.