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The Portugal Policy Lab is led by three institutions: the Alentejo Regional Development Agency (ADRAL), Instituto Superior de Agronomia and Universidade Nova de Lisboa.
The Alentejo Region represents almost a third of the country's surface but only 5.2% of the population. This low density, combined with a diversity of landscapes that vary from the coastal area to the interior, create a unique mosaic of ecological, aesthetic, symbolic and material values.
Over the decades, the natural and cultural image of the region has been shaped by the open fields associated with the production of cereals and pastures, as well as areas of arable crops, where cork oak and holm oak forests have been playing vital roles in supporting the local economy, preserving biodiversity and maintaining the natural balance of the region.
However, transformations in the Alentejo landscape over the last 30 years have been accompanied by an increase in intensity of land use. These uses include intensive olive groves throughout the region, particularly in the Alqueva area, greenhouses installed on the coast and the increasing construction of photovoltaic plants.
Considering the effects of climate change and biodiversity loss in the Alentejo Region, it's crucial to discuss the significance of restoring ecosystems and preserving water and land as vital resources. This leads to the necessity of addressing the future of the Alentejo from a perspective of co-creating territorial policies that integrate socioeconomic needs with the landscape's ecological sensitivity, while preserving its regional identity.