Albergaria-a-Velha, Portugal, May 29, 2026 (Lusa) - Portugal's agriculture minister, Jose Manuel Fernandes, said people should view forests as a source of wealth and cohesion, rather than a problem.

Fernandes, speaking at the opening of Expoflorestal forestry trade fair in Albergaria-a-Velha, said “people frequently associate forests with fires, but they must recognise them as a source of wealth and a driver of territorial cohesion.”

“To achieve this, it is crucial to value forests, promote their resilience and integrate them with agriculture through robust policies, investment and legislative simplification,” he said.

He said that “investing in forests is investing in the environment, preventing wildfires that generate half of annual emissions in two months, protecting water and air quality, and supporting the processing industry.”

“Forest owners are the environment's best friends,” not the “radicals” who prevent the fulfilment of environmental goals, he said.

The minister said the government had reallocated €30 million from the Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP, an EU-funded economic support programme) for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to purchase equipment, encouraging technology and robotics.

He added that the government had reallocated another €50 million from the RRP to intermunicipal communities (associations of neighbouring councils) to purchase machinery and reinforce teams.

The minister, however, noted that the concentration of resources from the Environmental Fund for urban mobility (around €500 million) benefits large urban areas and “leaves few resources for forests.”

Fernandes also said the country needs to create new models such as forestry “condominiums” to gain scale and value.

The minister said the government is acting on the issue of property ownership, not only regarding undivided inheritances, and indicated that officials will take other legislative measures without specifying them.

He pointed to knowledge, training and innovation as essential factors for changing the sector because “the bioeconomy and innovation require knowledge and training.”

“Quality employment exists in forestry and agriculture using modern resources, such as robotics and artificial intelligence, but the public lacks awareness about their importance and the nature of the work,” he said.

MSO/LYT // AYLS

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