Spanish Agricultural Landscapes: Land Use and Farming Systems
Agricultural Fields and Rural Areas
Agricultural areas are geographically modified by humans for crop production, livestock, and forestry. Rural areas encompass spaces dedicated to leisure, industry, residence, or rural tourism.
Human activity transforms the physical environment, resulting in agricultural landscapes. Spain exhibits diverse agricultural landscapes due to intense human occupation.
Land Use
Land use in Spain is categorized into agricultural, livestock, and forestry. Out of 50.5 million hectares, 82.8% are agricultural, distributed as follows:
- Cropland (37.8%): Decreasing in size over the last 30 years, with significant losses in Andalusia, Castilla-La Mancha, and Murcia.
- Grassland (12.4%): Also declining, mainly found in Cantabria, Asturias, and Extremadura, providing livestock feed.
- Forest Land (32.6%): Abundant in Cantabria, Catalonia, and Valencia, used for logging, hunting, and designated as protected areas.
- Other Uses (17.2%): Includes urban areas, roads, rivers, etc.
Agricultural Activity Conditions
Agricultural areas are influenced by physical and human factors:
Physical Factors
- Relief: Facilitates or hinders agricultural activities.
- Altitude: Affects temperature and moisture.
- Slope: Impacts soil formation and erosion.
- Climate: Temperature and rainfall determine crop types.
- Soil: Composition affects crop suitability.
- Vegetation: May need removal for agriculture.
Human Factors
- Historical Conditions: Past land use, farming systems, and land distribution.
- Economic and Social Conditions: Technological innovations, mechanization, fertilizer use, and EU influence.
Land Use Map
In Spain, land use correlates with topography and climate:
- Forests are in mountainous areas unsuitable for cultivation.
- Grasslands are in mid-mountain areas, western peneplains, wetlands, and pastures.
- Croplands occupy interior basins, depressions, and the Mediterranean coast.
Irrigated areas along rivers, forced crops (greenhouses), and subtropical crops are also significant.
Agricultural Structure and Operating Systems
Land Ownership
Private ownership dominates in Spain, categorized into large estates and smallholdings.
Estates
Properties over 250 hectares, prevalent in Salamanca, Extremadura, Castilla-La Mancha, and Andalusia. Often dedicated to rainfed crops or extensive farming.
Smallholdings
Properties under 10 hectares, common in northern and western Spain. Often face challenges due to inadequate size and lack of resources.
Land Tenure
Direct tenure involves owner cultivation, while indirect tenure involves leasing or sharecropping.
Crop Systems and Spanish Agricultural Landscapes
Spanish agriculture features dry farming and irrigation systems.
Dry Farming
Relies on precipitation or groundwater, common in wet Spain (potatoes, corn, forage) and drier areas (cereals, olives, vegetables) with fallow periods.
Irrigation
Uses artificial water sources, historically in orchards and meadows, now expanded with dams and modern systems. Supports vegetables, cereals, and industrial crops.
Crops
Mediterranean trilogy (wheat, vines, olives) dominates. Cereals are abundant but wheat is declining. Rice is grown in Valencia, Guadalquivir marshes, and the Ebro Delta. Fruits and vegetables benefit from irrigation. Olive cultivation is significant in southern Spain. Vineyards focus on wine production. Industrial crops include cotton, rapeseed, sunflower, sugar beet, and tobacco. Subtropical crops are grown in Granada, Almeria, and Malaga. The Canary Islands specialize in bananas, tomatoes, and potatoes.
Recent Changes in Spanish Fields
Mechanization and irrigation expansion in the 60s and 70s led to rural exodus and increased productivity. Rural areas now serve new purposes, including second homes, industrial storage, and rural tourism.
Common Agricultural Policy (CAP)
Agricultural Policy
Spain’s agricultural policy transformed after joining the EU in 1986 and adopting the CAP.
Pre-CAP Policies
- Land system reforms aimed at disentailment and agrarian reform.
- Addressing inadequate land ownership through consolidation and legislation on large farms.
- Trade protectionism through tariffs.
CAP Adoption
- Integration into the EU’s internal market with Common Market Organizations (CMO).
- Trade liberalization within the Community.
- Modernization efforts supported by European structural funds.
- Addressing CAP challenges like high prices, surpluses, environmental impact, and rural depopulation.
Regional impacts vary, with challenges in Cantabrian, cereal, and vineyard areas, and positive outcomes in the Mediterranean coast and Andalusia.