The landscape in Sierra de Gredos was modelled largely by the livestock that traditionally grazed in mountain pastures in the summer and descended to the valleys when the snow came. In this video, one of the few goat farmers left in this Natura 2000 site explains their pastoral management and...

Folleto explicativo de FONTAGRO y su vínculo con América Latina. América Latina y el Caribe poseen un tercio de los recursos de agua y alrededor del 28% del área agrícola mundial, además de contar con el potencial para convertirse en una importante abastecedora de alimentos en el mundo. Sin embargo, la...

Avicultura Campesina is an agroecological chicken cooperative in Palencia, in northern Spain, set up by three small-scale chicken farmers, Cristina, Arturo and Jeromo. Based in the villages of Amayuelas de Abajo and Castrillo de Villavega, the group have also formed a cooperative to buy their own slaughterhouse, so that they...

This brochure presents eight case studies showcasing the role of European farming families as resilient, rural entrepreneurs in the context of the UN International year of Family Farming (IYFF) (2014). It is clear within the IYFF that family farming as a global political objective refers to a sub-set of family-owned...

Direct purchase of agricultural products from farmers in order to improve freshness and quality is being increasingly demanded by the international fruit trade. And so the Spanish internet portal naranjasyfrutas.com was set up in order to deal with this demand. Naranjasyfrutas.com is an online platform where fruit producers can sell...

Moving towards a bio economy is one of the key policy strategies of the EU. Its vision is of a knowledge-based Europe turning to green growth via innovation, which presents opportunities for the agricultural and forest-based sectors. Sustainable production of renewable resources will be needed, with the conversion of these...

The aim of the guidelines is to enhance restoration efforts in the world’s drylands. They provide specific guidance for policymakers and other decision-makers, and for practitioners. Well-informed policymakers and other higher-order decision-makers can be enablers in the design and implementation of effective restoration efforts by providing appropriate policies, governance mechanisms...

Many innovations led by women are based on agroecological principles such as increasing diversity, using fewer pesticides, or building new relationships with consumers. Through small experiments women learn, get organised and strengthen their autonomy. They gain increasing recognition and visibility in their communities and increase their self-esteem. This positive spiral...

By prioritising human and non-human life over economic profit, and cooperation over competition, citizens of the city of Cordoba have been able to transform their food system into a thriving network of local food producers and consumers. Women have been at the forefront of this movement.

Granxa familiar is aimed to help agricultural families in Galicia, where traditionally the main farming system is Family Farming; in the past production was destined mainly for family consumption but now they ready to introduce this production in the market. 

Can Perol Baix Llobregat SL was formed in 2008 through the association of six Spanish families from the Catalonia region, with the aim of developing a direct marketing business that consisted of high-quality agricultural products sold to consumers in the metropolitan area of Barcelona. The idea of establishing the company...

FONTAGRO es un mecanismo único de cooperación regional que promueve la innovación de la agricultura familiar, la competitividad y la seguridad alimentaria. Fue creado en 1998 y está integrado por quince países miembro que han contribuido con un capital cercano a los US$100 millones. La misión de FONTAGRO es contribuir a...

Hosted on CIHEAM’s website (ciheam.org), the Mediterranean Observatory aims at contributing to the exchange of ideas by providing information and analyses on agriculture, food and development within the Euro-Mediterranean area. In this regard, various statistical indicators were collected and processed in order to offer essential information for all those who,...

En este número se presentan experiencias donde, aún en pequeña escala, se puede apreciar que más allá de los gobiernos actuales existe una motivación cada vez mayor por adquirir alimentos saludables –libres de agrotóxicos y fertilizantes de síntesis química– de parte de consumidores urbanos informados y con recursos económicos para...

The Spanish Platform for Extensive Livestock Systems and Pastoralism is a network of over 200 people and organizations committed to supporting this farming activity. Through this Platform, which combines biannual meetings and online communication tools, livestock farmers, conservationists, researchers, government officers, farm advisors and many other third-sector actors and stakeholders...

The 17 regional governments in Spain have considerable autonomy in agricultural and nature conservation policies. There are 17 individual Rural Development Programmes, as well as a national programme for certain measures. In the case of Pillar 1 of the CAP, a common model of implementation was agreed between all the...

Converting to an organic farming system or developing one further, can present major challenges for conventional producers who lack basic or advanced information about agro-ecological practices, or who do not understand the value of such practices. This often creates a barrier to potential new converts, or for the up-take of...

The sea "in the middle of the land" is a geographical peculiarity: it is located between three continents and is almost entirely enclosed by land. This proximity has both united and divided nations and civilizations since the beginning of mankind, making the Mediterranean, a mere 1% of the planet's oceans,...

In the Mediterranean area, precise and accurate data regarding food waste and losses should be enhanced, especially in a context where the food security of the region’s countries is fragile and the sustainability of development is threatened. During the 10th meeting of the CIHEAM member states agriculture ministers, the food...

During the next 7 years, the new CAP is going to invest almost EUR 45 billion in Spain's farming sector and rural areas. Key political priorities have been defined at European level such as: jobs, sustainability, modernization, innovation and quality. In parallel, flexibility is given to Spain to adapt both...