The “Terra Maronesa” is a practical community that seeks, from a holistic and systemic approach, to enhance the habitat of the native cattle breed “Maronesa” and a vast food heritage in its different economic, cultural, social, environmental and tourist aspects (terramaronesa.pt).
Terra Maronesa arises from the need to interconnect all these dimensions, in order to translate into value, appropriable by local communities, the economic activities of the “Maronese territory”, guaranteeing full respect for environmental, social and cultural values.
The project comes from the local community: farmers, tourist animators, restaurant owners, and school and IPSS managers. Its anchor agents are the breeders of Maronês cattle, an autochthonous breed with solar in the Serra do Alvão/Marão, in the municipalities of Vila Real, Mondim de Basto, Ribeira de Pena and Vila Pouca de Aguiar. These breeders are developing an innovative, alternative, environmentally friendly animal production system, based on maximizing animal welfare, unfortunately unknown to the general public.
The Maronês cattle production system combines an extensive model of mountain grazing with carbon sequestration in the form of organic matter in the soil, and a reduction in the consumption of production factors dependent on fossil fuels. This system is in line with the “Paris Agreement” (2015), which reaffirms the need for the European and world economy to transition to a new economic model based on low carbon emissions.
Furthermore, a responsible and critical diet based on local and seasonal consumption, with a positive impact on health and the environment, is a global challenge. The choice of local, fresh, seasonal and identity products, such as the option for Maronesa meat and other local products, supports the remuneration of breeders and producers, generates employment and wealth, and contributes to the compatibility of mountain farming activities with the production of climate-positive goods and services, a fundamental assumption of the low-carbon economy (green economy).
Terra Maronesa encompasses several programs and agents of the territory, individual and collective, public and private, such as: Association of Breeders of Maronesa, Group of Meat Producers Maronesa, Polytechnic Institute of Bragança (IPB), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Associação Aguiarfloresta, ATCoop – Alto Tâmega Cooperativo.
Partners
Terra Maronesa encompasses several programs and agents of the territory, individual and collective, public and private, such as: Association of Breeders of Maronesa, Group of Meat Producers Maronesa, Polytechnic Institute of Bragança (IPB), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Associação Aguiarfloresta, ATCoop – Alto Tâmega Cooperativo.