On 3 June, NOVA School of Science and Technology (NOVA FCT), through CENSE – Center for Environmental and Sustainability Research, organised the participatory workshop “À Conversa sobre a Praça da Fruta” (“A Conversation about Praça da Fruta”) in Caldas da Rainha, Portugal, as part of the European project BLUMI-MED, funded by PRIMA.
The initiative brought together a diverse group of local stakeholders, including market vendors, producers, representatives of local restaurants, consumers, municipal representatives and other actors connected to Praça da Fruta, one of Portugal’s most iconic open-air markets. The workshop aimed to gather different perspectives on the challenges and opportunities for preserving and enhancing the sustainability of this historic marketplace.
Through participatory activities and collaborative discussions, participants explored key issues related to the social, environmental and economic sustainability of the market, including local food systems, supply chains, infrastructure, community engagement, producer–vendor–consumer relationships, and the role of Praça da Fruta in the local economy and cultural identity of Caldas da Rainha.
The insights gathered during the workshop will contribute to the next stages of the BLUMI-MED project, supporting the refinement of the Integrated Local Urban Market Sustainability Assessment (IMSA) approach and the development of recommendations to BOOST sustainable and resilient urban markets across the Mediterranean region.
The workshop was organised and facilitated by the CENSE team, composed of Paula Antunes, Rui Ferreira dos Santos, Jéssica Loureiro, Rita Lopes and Irene Pérez-Ramírez, and benefited from the support of the Municipality of Caldas da Rainha in promoting the initiative and engaging local stakeholders.
