I always enjoy seeing new initiatives in Lanzarote, especially if they mean they are promoting the local produce in a new creative and / or innovative way. They both preserve local traditions, bringing them to the 21st century, and offer a wider range of activities to do in the island.
This is exactly what the “Tierra de Oportunidades” (Land of Opportunity) programme by CaixaBank and ADERLAN ( the Association for Rural and Fishing Development of Lanzarote) promotes.
On the 16th of September 2025 they awarded 4 prizes on a ceremony that took place at Arrecife Civic Centre. This is the 3rd edition of the awards and the four recipients were:
- Batatas Arrugaditas y Harina by Karliana José Aguilera in Teguise. This is an innovative project that adds value to local sweet potatoes through their transformation.
-Bodega Mota https://www.instagram.com/bodegamota/ by entrepreneur Samuel González in Conil. This is an artisan winery with a local identity that combines wine production with wine tourism visits. - Lanzarote Honeybees www.lanzarotehoneybees.com/ by Selina Katharina Vogel in Mácher. This is an ecotourism experience that connects people with nature through the world of bees allowing you to become a beekeeper for a day.
-and last but not least from Tinajo: Marco Padrón Buis, a young farmer and producer of KM0 food, who is committed to selling in local shops and represents the interest of the new generations in the agricultural sector.
The event was attended by Enrique Sánchez, director of CaixaBank’s Business Area in Lanzarote; Santiago Padin, president of ADERLAN; Mónica Acosta, CaixaBank’s Social Action technician in the Canary Islands; and Mercedes Robayna, manager of ADERLAN.
During the ceremony, the entrepreneurs had the opportunity to present their initiatives and share their experiences.
The projects were selected by a technical committee made up of representatives from CaixaBank and ADERLAN, who assessed aspects such as viability, job creation capacity, growth potential, innovation and sustainability.
In addition, the four winners will participate in the national training competition “El reto de Tierra de Oportunidades” (The Land of Opportunities Challenge), promoted by CaixaBank in collaboration with the social enterprise Rural Talent, where they will face three challenges alongside more than 180 entrepreneurs from across the country. The top 20 will go through to the national final, with new awards, cash prizes and personalised mentoring programmes.
The award ceremony was part of the training course ‘Brand storytelling: how to connect with your audience’, which was held from the 16th to 19th September, 2025 at the Arrecife Civic Centre. The course was taught by Helena Colomé and Gladys Becerra from the company DML Digital Marketing Lanzarote. Its aims is to improve the communication skills of rural and fishing entrepreneurs on the island, helping them to identify their ideal customer and connect effectively with their audience.
About Land of Opportunities
The Land of Opportunities programme is a CaixaBank Social Action initiative aimed at supporting entrepreneurship in rural areas, creating employment and helping to stabilise the population in these areas. It is developed in collaboration with Rural Development Groups throughout Spain, which have in-depth knowledge of the needs of their environment, and involves the participation of Rural Talent in the training aspect. In addition, the programme is complemented by the involvement of CaixaBank Volunteering, MicroBank and AgroBank in support, mentoring and financing activities.
About ADERLAN
The Association for Rural and Fishing Development in Lanzarote (ADERLAN) is a non-profit organisation that promotes the comprehensive and sustainable development of rural and fishing areas on the island. Through the management of European funds and collaboration with local authorities, businesses and groups, it supports initiatives that promote economic diversification, land conservation and improved quality of life in rural areas.
