Agriculture, Aquaculture, and Fisheries: Key Terms and Practices
Aquaculture
Aquaculture is the development of marine farming and research on new ways to obtain resources from the sea and fresh water. It can involve:
- Fish farming
- Astaciculture, or crustacean breeding
- Egg production
Aquaculture also involves mollusks and aims at fish such as sea bass and sea bream.
Dryland Farming
Dryland farming dominates the countryside and non-irrigated areas in the valley dedicated to extensive crops.
Fishing
Coastal Fishing
Coastal fishing involves catching fish that is canned using artisanal and almost familial methods.
Deep-Sea Fishing
Deep-sea fishing is done at distances far from the coast.
Mixed Fishing Companies
These companies provide ship owners and obtain the transfer of fishing quotas from foreign owners in exchange for concessions.
Part-Time Agriculture
This occupation combines agriculture with work in industry, construction, or services.
Property
A legal concept referring to the owner of the land.
Precipitation
Precipitation is irregular, with a marked seasonal and spatial variation. It is low-volume, and most of it falls in a torrential manner.
Temperatures
Temperatures are marked by contrast, with relative maximum and minimum values.
Frost
Frost limits the development of many crops. It happens frequently in the northern sub-plateau and the Ebro Valley.
Fallow
Fallow consists of letting the land rest for a variable period. The ground surface must be broken to better absorb rainwater and destroy weeds.
Industrial Crops
Industrial crops require pre-industrial processing for consumption.
Intensive Agriculture
Intensive agriculture increases yield compared to extensive agriculture through the expansion of irrigation and a decrease in fallow land.
Rural Space
Rural space is where all activities related to agriculture, commerce, housing construction, livestock, and fisheries are developed.
Exploitation
An economic and technical unit from which agricultural products are obtained under the responsibility of an owner. It is characterized by the utilization of manpower and machinery and may be composed of plots that are not in the same location.
Plots
Tracts of land that are under one boundary.
Latifundio
A farm of more than 250 hectares in extent, with low cropping intensity, and normally worked in Spain by day laborers.
Minifundio
Small agricultural holding. These are frequently small orchards, farm plots of only a small area, and are usually located near the population.
Tenure Regime
The degree of dominance that someone has over their land. It can be direct when the farm owner and the businessman are the same person, or indirect when the owner gives the use of the land to another person in exchange for a percentage of the harvest.
FEOGA
European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund. It is responsible for the modernization of the agricultural sector and the development of new economic activities in rural areas.
CAP
Acronym for Common Agricultural Policy, an agreement for the member countries of the European Community. It is based on the principles of community preference towards third countries and ensuring minimum prices for farmers. Its objectives are to increase productivity, ensure a standard of living, stabilize the market, ensure supply, and ensure reasonable prices for consumers.
Plot Concentration
A process intended for the redistribution of land at a given location so that holdings meet certain minimum conditions to be profitable. Instead of maintaining several modest-sized plots, they are grouped into one larger plot with better access and exploitation conditions.
Structural Funds
These come from the CAP and are designed to support the most disadvantaged community regions through support for structural improvements.
Legumes
Intended for use in green or dry form. Some are used for feeding livestock.
Vineyard
A shrub of upland crop that produces grapes for fresh consumption, although it is mainly used for wine production.
Olive Tree
A tree crop very resistant to summer drought. A part of the crop goes to the table as olives.
Mulching
Consists of covering the soil with plastic.
Sanded
The preparation of the ground with a layer of manure and sand over another. The sand filters the moisture retained by the manure, which gradually returns to the plants and also acts as fertilizer.
Greenhouses
Fixed structures covered with plastic, which, by creating a warm and humid microclimate, accelerate the maturation of products and allow multiple harvests annually.
Irrigation
An agricultural practice that provides additional water to crops so as not to depend on the randomness of rainfall and to improve crop performance.
Flood or Furrow Irrigation
Flooding the field with water obtained by diverting water streams.
Drip Irrigation
Providing each plant with water and nutrients at the right time through small holes in the tubes.
Sprinkler Irrigation
Channeling water through pressure pipes to project it onto the ground like rain.
Intensive Irrigation
Can be open or under plastic, allowing multiple harvests per year and the cultivation of products that require a lot of water.
Extensive Irrigation
Provides a single crop, like dryland, but with greater productivity per hectare.
Fishing Grounds
The most appropriate places to fish.
Inshore Fishing
The capture of marine animals using artisanal and almost familial methods.
Deep-Sea Fishing
Catching fish at distances far from the coast.
ESF
European Social Fund, intended to promote vocational training and employment.