Agricultural Landscape and Transformation of Rural Spain
Landscape
Wetland Agrarian Structure
This structure is characterized by populated areas with dispersed settlements. Land ownership is dominated by smallholdings. Land use includes:
- Livestock: Cattle farming
- Orchard crops (fodder)
- Forestry and furniture industries
- Paper pulp production
Interior Peninsular Settlement
This structure features concentrated agrarian settlements with a system of owned smallholdings. Land use has undergone significant changes:
- Transition from rainfed agriculture or wetlands and meadows
- Increase in intensive irrigated use
Specific examples include:
- Castilian: Livestock and dryland farming
- Ebro Depression: Intensive agriculture
- Extremadura: Pasture and forest land
- Soria: Forest land
Mediterranean Agrarian Structure
This structure involves large populations with dispersed settlements. Land ownership is dominated by owned land, either irrigated or rainfed. Land use has also experienced changes:
- Increase in crop agriculture with irrigation (horticulture, floriculture)
- Continued rainfed crops in pre-littoral areas
- Increase in cattle and swine
- Increase in dryland sheep and goats in the Guadalquivir region
- Expansion of wood and paper forestry in Andalusia
Mountain Agrarian Structure
This structure is characterized by very low population densities and dominated by small property ownership. Land use is varied:
- Agriculture in green areas
- Orchard crops and some specific crops (almond, olive) in the north
- Cattle or sheep breeding
- Sheep farming in Mediterranean mountains
- Forest use for fuelwood and wood species
De Canarias
This structure features declining population concentrated in loose settlements. Agriculture is based on small-acreage:
- Coastal areas: Monoculture
- Middle and upper zones: Rainfed agriculture
- Scarce sheep and goats
- Forestry and wood utilization, including laurel for charcoal and building
The Use of the Countryside
Traditional Agricultural Activity
Traditional agriculture, based on polyculture, has undergone remarkable transformations.
a) Changes in Farm Structure
- Agriculture tends to specialize in products that thrive in each region.
- Incorporation of modern techniques
- Increased mechanization
- Use of pesticides and fertilizers
- Use of transgenic crops resistant to drought
- Shift from extensive to intensive agriculture
b) Agricultural Production
- Cereals: The drylands of the peninsula are the primary cultivation areas.
- Legumes: Intended for use in green or dry form.
- Vineyards: A rainfed shrub crop producing grapes for fresh consumption and winemaking.
- Olive trees: A drought-resistant arboreal crop. Part of the crop is used for table olives, and the rest for oil production.
- Horticultural and fruit products: Destined for fresh consumption or the vegetable industry.
- Floriculture: Increasingly important in the Canary Islands and Catalonia.
- Industrial crops: Require industrial processing before consumption. The main producing area is the southern half of the peninsula.
- Forage crops: Intended for terrestrial animals. The growing area is concentrated in the northern half of the peninsula.
Livestock Activity
a) Changes in Farming Structure
- Livestock tends to specialize in meat or milk production.
- Progressive increase in mechanization and farm size.
- Intensive livestock farming for weight gain.
Problems faced by Spanish livestock:
- Shortage of animal feed due to low rainfall in much of the territory.
- Inadequate size of many farms.
- Strong competition from other EU countries and surpluses.
- Disease outbreaks affecting exports.
b) Livestock Production
- Bovine livestock: Used for milk and meat production. Dairy cattle are located extensively in the north and intensively near cities. Beef cattle are located in mountainous, forested, and rangeland areas.
- Sheep farming: Primarily for meat and milk production, with high demand for Manchego cheese. Transhumant livestock involves seasonal movement between pastures. Shelf livestock farming is a subsidiary activity with variable returns. Fattening lambs provides higher yields.
- Pig farming: Intended for fresh consumption and processed meat (chacineria). Intensive industrial farming predominates in Catalonia, while extensive farming is located in Extremadura and Salamanca.
- Poultry: Intended for meat and egg production. Intensive industrial farming is concentrated in Catalonia, Castile and Leon, and Aragon.
Forestry
forest terrain in Spain is at 16’4 million hectareas.de these, 13’9 million are forested area, consisting of hardwoods and conifers. The main producing areas are the provinces north of the peninsula and Huelva. The timber production has increased by the expansion of fast growing species. The problem of forestry is the deforestation caused by logging and fires, acid rain and disease forest.2.4 The new uses of rural The rural area is diversifying its activities with the implementation of different land uses traditional. -residential use as second homes for weekend or holiday, and even as a primary residence. -industrial applications due to the diffusion of certain industries to cheaper locations in soil and employment. -use tourist attractions to people or places, in relation to the increased standard of living and leisure. -recreational uses, like hunting in places like the Montes de Toledo, Sierra Morena and other areas. The consequences of these new uses are, first, positive as they contribute to the recovery of rural economies. But on the other can have negative effects such as degradation of natural areas.