40th edition of Ovibeja

“40 years of Associativism” is the central theme of the 40th edition of Ovibeja, scheduled for the week of April 30 to May 5, 2024 at the Manuel de Castro e Brito Fair and Exhibition Park in Beja. As the organizer of the event, ACOS wants to highlight the partnership, the engine of working together to enhance results, share resources, challenges and knowledge.

At a time when the agricultural sector is most in need of an approach committed to safeguarding biodiversity and business and rural sustainability, it is important to reflect on the role of associations as the voice of agents involved in the production, processing and marketing of agriculture and forestry. Ovibeja, organized by a farmers' association - ACOS - has played a decisive role throughout its various editions in setting in motion or unblocking governmental decisions concerning the agricultural sector in Alentejo.

In these troubled times, reflecting together on the role and importance of partnerships is of paramount importance. It may also be necessary to reorient concepts and ways of working and communicating. Reflecting on the importance of coherence, of continuous, shared and perfected work, possibly reformulating models, bearing in mind, however, that we are not going anywhere on our own. Together we produce more cheaply. Together we sell better. Together we are stronger. It is important to nurture more and more the associationism, the unity of farmers and the trust in their associations. Knowing how to maximize the added value of working together.