TOMATO MEETING

THE SANTILLANA GARDEN

On Saturday, May 23, at 10:30 a.m., the Tomato Gathering will take place at the Jesús Otero Museum, featuring Santiago Palazuelos Botella—an economist and trained gardener—as the speaker.

He has spent his professional career in finance, international cooperation, and biodiversity conservation projects. He is currently President of the Association for the Defense and Recovery of Cantabria’s Fruit and Vegetable Heritage, known as “Simientes Infinitas.”

 The one-hour talk will provide a general overview of the following topics:

 1.- Introduction: Why talk about the tomato? The importance of biodiversity

2.- History of the tomato: Etymology, origin in the Nahuatl language, global spread

3.- Botany and genetics: Taxonomy, early naturalists

4.- Genetic erosion and industrial agriculture: Critique of the "Green Revolution" and monocultures, loss of biodiversity

5.- Properties of the tomato: Nutrition, lycopenes, and health benefits

6.- The “Infinite Seeds” project: Collection of 1,700 heirloom varieties, 6th International Tomato Festival of Cantabria 

7.- Global context and future: SDGs, Convention on Biological Diversity, Food Sovereignty, Cultural Heritage, Health, Urban Green Infrastructure, call to action: local cultivation and seed banks

 If we were to choose a single title, it would be, 

The Tomato and the Importance of Biodiversity Conservation

Santiago Palazuelos - President of the Simientes Infinitas Association