The subalpine and supraforestal pastures of Andorra reflect the longstanding agropastoral system that local herders have developed over time. The communities living in a landlocked country with an average altitude of almost 2,000m above sea level have found a way to raise livestock and trade it for goods and food that could not be produced locally.

The livelihoods of Andorran people, up to a century ago, were mostly if not entirely based on the traditional agropastoral system, and its geographical base was the entire country (468km2). Thus, the local population took advantage of the naturally changing conditions to develop a combined system of spontaneous pastures and cultivated feeding. This supported the production of livestock, bovines, ovines, horses, on free-range and extensive grazing, which could in turn be traded for other goods and food with the neighbouring regions.