“Our work in the Azores aims to show that regeneration is not a distant idea, but a concrete practice that helps farmers in their daily lives. We want to support producers in São Miguel to better manage water, care for the soil, and build more resilient and productive farms,“ concludes the Technical Director of Terracrua Design. ”Our team interprets maps, soils, slopes, and microclimates to create clear design plans adapted to the Azorean territory. We carry out technical diagnoses with accurate cartography, find solutions for organizing productive areas, conservation zones, and accesses, and provide support from initial consultation to implementation in the field.”

Terracrua Design / IPR – Instituto de Planeamento Regenerativo (Institute for Regenerative Planning) has announced that it will hold an Open Day on the 9th and 10th of this month in Lomba de São Pedro, on the island of São Miguel. The event is designed for farmers, livestock producers, and rural landowners, aiming to share solutions to the challenges facing Azorean agriculture. That is, to promote ideas on how to address the main challenges affecting Azorean farms, namely water management – excess in winter, scarcity in summer, fertile but fragile soils exposed to erosion, access and infrastructure that increase production costs, and pastures and livestock that need regenerative bases to be more productive and sustainable. According to the information provided, the Terracrua Design System – an ecological and regenerative planning method – organizes each property so that water remains in the soil, paths favor production, and each hectare has a higher yield sustainably.

The company notes that the island of São Miguel is a land of vivid contrasts: steep slopes, fertile yet fragile volcanic soils, abundant rainfall that sometimes turns into flash floods, land divided into small plots, and often difficult access. Landowners face very real challenges: erosion and loss of fertile soil on the most exposed slopes; excess water in winter and scarcity in summer, with difficulties in managing water resources; fragmentation of agricultural land, which requires careful consideration of every square meter; and poor infrastructure, which increases operating costs and reduces productivity.

The most recent project by the regenerative land planning company is located in the Azores and aims to redevelop the Ladeira da Lomba de São Pedro farm.

“We organize the space and create conditions for agriculture to develop in a more vibrant way, without compromising the ecosystem or water. Basically, we work to solve the most common problems in agriculture,” confirmed Nuno Mamede Santos, consultant and designer at Terracrua, in statements to our newspaper.

Terracrua Design provides consulting, planning, and implementation services for agricultural properties. They currently have projects in Portugal, Angola, Spain, and the United States.

The company is operating on the island of São Miguel for the first time, where it is redeveloping a farm. “I have wanted to work in the Azores for many years, as these islands are particularly interesting when it comes to ecology, resource management, and what is and is not produced,” said the consultant.

The work on this farm consists of creating small access roads in the first stage, followed by the construction of terraces to retain water, and in the third stage, the construction of ponds.

As for difficulties, the designer emphasized that this specific project has been accessible and is going very well, “everyone is collaborating, the services arrive on time and deliver what they promise, I am loving the experience.”

This Open Day will feature a guided tour with the Terracrua, Agroaltantis, and Sanibritas teams, who will present the project and provide a first-hand look at the terrain. “The idea is to be very educational and informative,” revealed Nuno Mamede Santos, Technical Director of Terracrua Design.

The company intends to hold a similar event annually on the island of São Miguel, to engage more closely with landowners and agricultural producers, and to present solutions to the Azoreans.

“We would very much like to work closely with the relevant authorities here on the island of São Miguel and in the archipelago. It is very different from the mainland, but the problems are the same,” emphasizes Nuno Mamede Santos.

The event requires prior registration.

For the promoters of the initiative, who specialize in planning and regenerative consulting, each farm on São Miguel is viewed as a unique organism. “Our team interprets maps, soils, slopes, and microclimates to create clear design plans adapted to the Azorean territory.

We perform technical diagnostics with accurate cartography, find solutions to organize productive areas, conservation zones, and accesses, and provide support from initial consulting to implementation in the field.”

On humid islands such as São Miguel, water is both a source of wealth and a challenge. Our method harnesses this potential, utilizing ponds, infiltration ditches, and keyline design to mitigate runoff and erosion. It also incorporates roads and paths that incorporate water logic, preventing gully erosion, and employs green infrastructure that adapts to the steep geography and island scale.

In her presentation, Mamede Santos emphasizes that “farms in the Azores can be true havens of biodiversity. We create ecological corridors, reforestation with adapted species, and conservation areas that coexist with pastures, orchards, and productive crops. Community involvement is an integral part of the process, enhancing the local economy and cultural identity.”

“Our work in the Azores aims to show that regeneration is not a distant idea, but a concrete practice that helps farmers in their daily lives. We want to support São Miguel producers in better managing water, caring for the soil, and structuring more resilient and productive farms,” concludes the Technical Director of Terracrua Design. DP

In Correio dos Açores-Natalino Viveiros, director

Translated into English as a community outreach program by the Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute (PBBI) and the Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures Department (MCLL), in collaboration with Bruma Publication and ADMA (Azores-Diaspora Media Alliance) at California State University, Fresno. PBBI thanks Luso Financial for sponsoring NOVIDADES.