Ponte de Lima agri-food tech centre gets green light to build

Portugal's government has authorised the Polytechnic University of Viana do Castelo to grant the Ponte de Lima municipality surface rights over land at its Agrarian School campus, clearing the way for the 3AR Technology Transfer and Valorisation Centre for the agri-food sector. The project costs around €4.5 million, with EU co-financing of roughly €2.9 million under the Norte 2030 programme. Construction, to be carried out by the municipality, should start in 2026 and finish within two years. The centre will focus on food, endogenous resources and sustainability, and aims to create close to 40 qualified jobs by 2030.