Tenerife Invests €613,000 to Protect Agricultural Biodiversity in Los Realejos

The Tenerife Island Council is investing over 613,000 euros into the Las Llanadas estate in Los Realejos to protect the island’s agricultural heritage and food security. This multi-year funding, which runs through 2029, will ensure the site remains a vital hub for preserving local plant biodiversity in the face of climate change.

Since 2021, the estate—which had been abandoned for years—has been transformed by the Tenerife Agricultural Biodiversity Conservation Center (CCBAT). The site now features modernized irrigation, updated cultivation areas, and a main building equipped with specialized laboratories, cold storage, and seed-processing facilities.

Valentín González, the Councilor for the Primary Sector, describes the center as a "living germplasm bank." By conducting genetic analysis, researchers have identified unique plant varieties found nowhere else on Earth. The Council views this work as a strategic move to ensure food security by recovering local species that were at risk of extinction.

Beyond scientific research, the Council plans to open Las Llanadas to school groups. By turning the estate into an educational center, officials hope to teach the next generation about the importance of biodiversity to the island’s culture and agricultural future. This investment cements the protection of native plant varieties as a top priority for Tenerife’s land management.