Located in the municipality of Odemira, in southwestern Portugal, the parish of São Luís represents a compelling case of the contemporary challenges faced by rural regions in the Alentejo, with a total area of 146.81 km² and a population of 2,249 inhabitants, its population density stands at only 15.3 inhabitants per square kilometre, revealing a pattern of dispersed territorial occupation and significantly low demographic concentration that impacts local planning and the accessibility of basic services, this territorial condition stems from a long-standing tradition of settlements tied to extensive agricultural practices, characterised by large estates and minimal economic diversification, which has led to youth outmigration and a progressively ageing population, within this framework, limited infrastructure, unequal access to health and education, and monoculture dependency present major obstacles to sustainable development, however, community-driven initiatives focused on ecological agriculture, nature-based tourism, and cultural heritage valorisation are beginning to reposition São Luís as an emerging node of rural resilience, a concrete example is the "Monte Mimo" project, an agroecological cooperative that combines sustainable practices with local consumer networks, illustrating how territorial identity can become a driver for social innovation, in conclusion, São Luís embodies both the structural difficulties and the latent potential of Portuguese rural areas in the twenty-first century, requiring integrated public policies that acknowledge its territorial specificity and promote a balance between preservation and economic revitalisation.
