Agricultural Activities and Land Use in Spain
1. Physical Constraints of Spanish Farmland
Relief: 11.4% of the land is below 200m, and 88% has a slope steeper than 5%. This causes soil detachment and hinders the mechanization of agricultural work.
Soil: Lithology deeply affects soils. Limestone substrates result in poorly developed soils, siliceous substrates lead to poor soils, while alluvial soils support fertile gardens, as do volcanic soils.
Climate: The low and erratic rainfall, along with wide temperature variations in the Mediterranean climate, are major constraints for agriculture.
2. Human Conditions
Historical Factors: The Romans initially organized the peninsula, introducing farming systems based on the Mediterranean trilogy in the Betic region. After the Muslim occupation, this culture continued, introducing Merino sheep and transhumance practices. The Reconquista led to a division in land plots between the north and south. Cereal and sheep farming predominated due to the creation of the Mesta by Alfonso XII. Colonization policies under the Bourbons, and especially the Madoz and Mendizabal confiscations, reflect the predominance of large estates that passed into the hands of the gentry.
Socioeconomic Factors: These include the agricultural population, ownership structure, and changes in agricultural techniques and systems. The agrarian nature of Spanish society persisted throughout the 20th century, with agriculture being the main resource of the market. In the 1960s, the Stabilization Plan and development plans caused a shift, leading to rural exodus. This was characterized by the mechanization of agricultural work and low incomes in the countryside. The consequences of this evolution have been the depopulation of rural areas and an aging population.
Technical Factors: Several factors have contributed to progress: the expansion of irrigation, mechanization of agriculture, and the use of fertilizers. Additionally, the introduction of new crops and techniques, increased technical training of farmers, and Spain’s entry into the EU have played significant roles.
Political Factors: Measures taken by political powers have important implications for rural areas and agrarian structure. The most crucial has been Spain’s entry into the EEC and the need to adapt to the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
3. Agrarian Structure: Property Regimes, Land Tenure, and Exploitation
Land ownership means that the owner is free to use it or not. Operation refers to the technical-economic unit where agricultural products are obtained under the responsibility of the employer, who may or may not be the owner of the land. Various schemes exist:
- Direct Tenure: Owner and employer are the same.
- Indirect Tenure: Owner and employer are different. This is further divided into:
- Leasing: The entrepreneur exploits the land in exchange for rent.
- Sharecropping: The entrepreneur exploits the land in exchange for a share of the produce.
The assignment of land for working is currently quite adequate. However, the division of land into plots leads to wasted time, prompting land consolidation. The ownership structure is divided into large estates and smallholdings. Profitability varies: according to the ESU, there are low-yield, average-yield, and profitable farms.
4. The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) in Crop, Farming, and Forest Areas
To analyze the impact of the CAP, we divide it into two periods:
Prior to the CAP: Spain aimed to overcome three issues: a high degree of land ownership concentration in some areas (latifundismo), and smallholdings and fragmentation of holdings in other areas (minifundio).
After the CAP: The CAP, established in 1962 by the EEC, aimed to achieve food self-sufficiency and ensure a good quality of life for farmers. It granted aid to farmers, established a market price policy, and guaranteed minimum prices above the world market. As a result, prices rose, and production increased, leading to the accumulation of surpluses that had to be sold at a loss. The advantages and disadvantages of the CAP can be summarized as follows:
- Advantages: Access to a market of over 400 million consumers and receipt of structural funds, which have contributed capital to develop infrastructure.
- Disadvantages: Regions where production has been subject to high fees and restrictions.