Evora, Portugal, Sept. 1, 2025 (Lusa) - An agricultural association in Evora, in Portugal's Alentejo region has already secured 450 tonnes of animal feed for farmers affected by the wildfires in the north and centre of the country, while another in Beja has 20 members ready to provide food aid.
From the headquarters of the Association of Young Farmers of the South (AJASUL) in Évora, its president, Diogo Vasconcelos, told Lusa on Monday, around 180 tonnes of straw and hay for animals have already been sent to various districts in the north and centre of the country.
"We've already raised around 400 tonnes of hay and straw from our members. Of that, we've already sent 170 or 180 tonnes up there, we have another 70 to send and we're now working out what else we can send," he said.
Pointing out that "there's still a long time to go before there's food for the animals in the fields", he said that of the amount of hay and straw donated by members, AJASUL still has 150 tonnes to deliver.
Diogo Vasconcelos pointed out that members and other people had also donated money to the association to help farmers who had run out of food for their animals, which had been used to buy 20 tonnes of feed.
"We don't send the feed, we buy it from local distributors" and then people linked to the farmers' associations pick it up and deliver it to those who need it, he said, adding that the association still has money for another 30 tonnes of feed.
According to AJASUL, the food aid has already reached Fundão and Covilhã, in the Castelo Branco regions, Almeida, Pinhel and Sabugal, in the Guarda district, and this week it will reach Mirandela, in the Bragança district, and Ponte da Barca, in the Viana do Castelo district.
ACOS - the southern farmers' association, from Beja, also in the Alentejo region, also revealed today that on 20 August it launched a solidarity campaign for farmers in the areas affected by the fires, as part of which it is raising food for livestock.
"The campaign, with contributions from ACOS members, consists mainly of collecting straw and hay, products that are then transported, with the support of CAP [Confederation of Farmers of Portugal] and local authorities in those areas, to local agricultural organisations," it said.
Contacted by Lusa, the president of ACOS, Rui Garrido, said that around 20 members have already shown their willingness to donate animal feed, which has not yet been sent to the north and centre due to "major transport difficulties".
"We can't get transport to take the food and, instead of gathering it here, we have an inventory, which is already very large, of our members who have hay and straw to donate," he emphasised.
Rui Garrido explained that the transport difficulties are related to the tomato and almond harvests in the region, and he expects the first delivery of straw and hay to make its way this week.
This food aid for animals in the areas affected by the fires comes after a letter sent by CAP appealing for solidarity from the association movement.
Mainland Portugal was affected by multiple large rural fires in July and August, especially in the north and centre regions.
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