Meet Vida Rural

Vida Rural is a leading professional magazine in agrobusiness, that provides information on agricultural, agro-industrial, livestock and forestry production.

We had a chat with Isabel Martins, Director of Vida Rural magazine, about the collaboration with INESC TEC.

Every year, INESC TEC joins several agro-food and forestry events promoted by Vida Rural. How do you rate this R&D partnership? 

R&D is vital to the success of agrobusinesses, enabling the dissemination of knowledge and the fast adoption of technological solutions and tools by agricultural and agro-industrial entrepreneurs. In Vida Rural, we follow the most innovative and relevant projects quite closely, a matter that we consider crucial to the modernisation and training of the sector, and to the improvement of business profitability.  

The partnership with INESC TEC makes perfect sense in our strategy of sharing relevant and innovative information on the latest technological developments with the agro-community.  

What do you value about the long-standing collaboration between INESC TEC and Vida Rural?

We perceive INESC TEC as a valuable partner, representing the state of the art of R&D in this area. The projects developed focus on concrete needs of the market and the scalability and “democratisation” of the solutions. Vida Rural aims to disseminate information, always one step ahead and looking towards the future according to a realistic approach. In this sense, we need partners that comply with these principles. As mentioned in our Editorial Statute, “we believe that informed agricultural and rural actors can contribute to the development and dynamism of the sector”; we’re also keen to play our role and assume our responsibility in the dissemination of top-quality information, through various formats and channels.  

In recent years, the partnership with INESC TEC has contributed decisively to this mission, making it possible to share this science-based innovation with an increasingly sophisticated community that is eager for more efficient and sustainable solutions. 

How can this collaboration contribute to practical results for a new generation within these sectors? 

It’s quite clear that the new generation of entrepreneurs and agricultural managers will rely heavily on technology and sustainability. All the tools and knowledge produced, increasing this engagement, will be decisive for the training and improvement of this community. The connection between R&D and production is imperative, something that has been increasingly happening over recent years. Events like AGROIN or the Vida Rural Conferences – where we showcase the top explored, tested and adopted solutions – are crucial to inspire future agents of the agricultural sector. The partnership between a brand like Vida Rural and a major research institution like INESC TEC makes complete sense when it comes to accelerate knowledge transfer and attract younger people.  

What can we expect from Vida Rural in the upcoming years? 

We aim to affirm ourselves as a reference in agricultural communication. In this sense, we must keep privileging the quality of our content and innovate when it comes to different formats, acting as an entity that promotes learning and skill development. We are – thanks to our 71-year track-record – a multi-channel platform, with a paper magazine, a website, a newsletter, an app, a podcast, a video channel, different congresses and conferences. We are a meeting point for discussion and sharing within our community. We know that we are often a little ahead in the most futuristic and technological topics, when they’re not yet part of the reality of many agents of the sector. But that is precisely our different aspect, and what moves us. And on this path of progress, we have partners like INESC TEC, who share the same enthusiasm and passion for agrobusiness!