James Warren
THE President of the Malaga Provincial Council Francisco Salado is visiting rural areas on a bus as part of a whistle-stop tour to fight depopulation.
The Presura Repopulation, or Repopulation Tour, will stop in inland Malaga areas suffering the most from disappearing populations.
For the tour, Salado has enlisted the help of delegate of Red Electrica Jorge Jimenez and the director of the Feria Presura Joaquin Alcalde.
Since Monday, the team have been travelling across the province in a converted bus, equipped with information points and television screens showing the plans Malaga has for the future of its countryside.
In total, the bus will travel 2,383 km throughout 15 municipalities in the Axarquia, Serrania de Ronda and Antequera-Guadalteba, emblazoned with the slogan #LoRuralEsLaVanguardia.
Before their pit stop in Malaga City yesterday, the bus had visited Salares, Sedella, Canillas de Aceituno, La Vinuela, Alcaucin, Algatocin, Gaucin, Benarraba, Genalguacil and Jubrique, and will now move on Cañete la Real, Cuevas del Becerro and Serrato.
In a speech in front of the bus, Salado spoke of energising rural populations and stabilising employment, two of the largest factors causing residents to head for more urban areas.
In a frank and open plee to municipal mayors, Salado asked for ‘complete commitment’ in order for the plans to work, and reassured that the Junta will support them both financially and legally.
Salado explained that the main focus for 2021 will be the ‘Plan Viable’, a project that aims to improve the road access to municipalities with less than 10,000 residents.
The council will also strengthen the Sabor a Malaga, which will advertise and promote the local agri-food sector globally to help its recovery from the recent pandemic.
Jorge Juan Jimenez, delegate of Red Electrica, spoke on the work their team has been conducting in ensuring rural towns and villages have proper and up to date electricity supplies.
“The electrification of the territories is essential to repopulate rural areas,” said Jimenez.
The bus also played host to the first airing of Presura TV, a channel created to give local entrepreneurs a platform to inspire local talent and give their stories on how they created thriving businesses in inland Malaga.
