Menorca European Region of Gastronomy 2022 Participates in the 2nd World Gastronomy Summit

Farmer Sergio Riudavets, from Productes Ecològics Santo Domingo, has represented Menorca European Region of Gastronomy 2022 at the 2nd World Gastronomy Summit, held at the Pacific Convention Centre in Manabí, World Region of Gastronomy 2026, Ecuador. The event was organised by the International Institute of Gastronomy, Culture, Arts and Tourism (IGCAT), in collaboration with UNESCO, Slow Food, Regenerative Vanua, Ibercocinas, Global Agritourism Network, Crop Trust, Future Food Institute and The Food Capitals.

The 1st World Gastronomy Summit, held in Catalonia, World Region of Gastronomy 2025, championed gastronomy as heritage and consequently called for it to be prioritised in public, private and civic agendas, with a commitment to supporting producers. This year, therefore, young people have been placed at the centre of the debate: how to create the conditions for emerging generations, both in farming and fishing, to take over and carry traditional customs forward into the future.

On the one hand, Sergio took part in the second plenary session, "From the Field to the Future: Youth and Gastronomy", dedicated to transforming the primary sector through regenerative practices. The pioneering experiences presented demonstrated how properly revitalising farms, protecting biodiversity and restoring the value of environmentally respectful cultivation can offer attractive, viable and profitable career opportunities. Nevertheless, the need to promote specialised training, financial support, cooperation among the stakeholders involved, digital tools and spaces for experimentation was also emphasised.

On the other hand, Riudavets participated in the fourth plenary session, which followed a participatory format, in the discussion entitled "Youth, Primary Sector and Gastronomy". The dialogue addressed the essential skills required to innovate throughout the food supply chain and the barriers entrepreneurs encounter along the way.

Sergio Riudavets's career is rooted in a family project in Sant Lluís. Together with his parents, he restored land belonging to his grandparents through the organic cultivation of seasonal fruit and vegetables, including native varieties.

Regenerative practices have become one of the distinctive features of his market gardens and earned him recognition among Europe's Top 50 Farmers. Working with permanent growing beds, composting, crop rotation and soil care is combined with direct personal contact, without overlooking the educational dimension through visits and other outreach activities.

Sergio Riudavets's exemplary and inspiring contribution to the 2nd World Gastronomy Summit reinforces the collaborative leadership of Menorca European Region of Gastronomy 2022, while establishing our island's farming community as an international reference within UNESCO's framework — the Biosphere Reserve and the Mediterranean Diet — for caring for the environment, increasing food sovereignty and giving farmers and fishermen the recognition they deserve.