Associação In Loco

Founded in 1988, Associação In Loco is a non-profit civic organisation that has worked on local development in the Algarve since then. Its headquarters are in São Brás de Alportel. The IEFP recognised it as a development association in 1991, and it was later granted public utility status. Over more than three decades it has built partnerships with municipalities, schools, businesses, informal groups and public and private bodies across Portugal and internationally. Its mission is to improve quality of life through permanent education, civic participation and solidarity, while trying to meet present needs without compromising the future. The work covers five strategic themes: - local development and citizen participation - environmental sustainability - education and awareness-raising - vocational training - the Mediterranean Diet, promoted as a living, sustainable cultural heritage One of its current initiatives is WatHer (Water Heritage in European Rural Mediterranean). The project studies traditional water management systems, such as the Levada da Fonte Filipe in Querença, and supports work to safeguard them. It does this through community engagement, drone surveys and collaborative agreements with landowners and local stakeholders. In Loco is also a driving force behind the *Desafio Vegetariano* (Vegetarian Challenge). It promotes sustainable, plant-based approaches to the Mediterranean Diet through gastronomic events, recipes and educational campaigns, held in partnership with municipalities such as Tavira. The technical team covers territorial animation, local development structures, administration and finance. Its work combines research, listening to communities and hands-on fieldwork, with the aim of strengthening the resilience, identity and sustainable future of the Algarve's territories.