Landscape and agriculture in Baix Ter

Agriculture in n the Baix Ter bassin Joan B Bonany

Th Baix The B i Ter T Basin B i economy • GDP wise • • • •

Tourism (services) Construction Industry Agriculture A i l Agriculture

I d Industry

C Construction i

S i Services ( (tourism) i )

2008

2,60 %

10,00 %

18,80 %

68,60 %

1991

4,57 % 4,57 %

19,72 % 19,72 %

16,94 % 16,94 %

58,76 % 58,76 %

Idescat, Baix Empordà

GDP (i (in terms t off gros ss value l added) dd d) Agriculture

Industry

Construction

Services (tourism)

2008

2,60 %

10,00 %

18,80 %

68,60 %

1991

4,57 %

19,72 %

16,94 %

58,76 %

Idescat, Baix Empordà

• However, agriculture uses 55 % of the teerritory (farm land)

Characteristics of agrriculture in Baix Ter basin • Different units • Crop distribution • Farm structure • Infraestructure

DRY LAND DRY LAND ALLUVIAL PLANE RIVER BANKS

1

2 3

1

1

C Crop di t ib ti distribution • Climate • Mediterranean climate • Olives, grapes, cereals, … fruits • But Baix Ter is some how different

• Soils • Alluvial soils in the plane (entisols) • Older soils (inceptisols) in the (inceptisols) in the hills

• Market demand • Changing g g continouslyy • Agriculture is an economic activity • Common Agricultural Policy

B i Ter Baix T basin b i is i an ir irrigated i t d agriculture i lt 2008

1982

Irrigated 36%

Irrigated 47% Dryland 53%

t. Cens Agrari

Dryland 64%

Irrigated

Dryland

ntury: Irrigated land < 1% e: L’agricultura baixempordanesa a mitjans del segle XIX: producción agraria i usos del sòl. Enric Saguer

C Crop di t ib ti distribution Olive 2%

2008

Fruit Trees 12%

Olive 3%

Vineyard 0%

1982 Vineyard 0%

Wheat 18%

Fruit Trees 9%

Wheat 21%

Forage 14%

cat. Cens Agrari

Barley 22%

Barley 23%

Forage 33%

Corn 21% Oats 8%

Corn 7%

Oats 7%

century: Cereals 70%; Vineyard 20%, Olive trees 8% ce: L’agricultura baixempordanesa a mitjans del segle XIX: producción agraria i usos del sòl. Enric Saguer

C Commodities diti ($/bush ($/b hel) h l)

CORN

WHEAT

Serra P 2006 Do Anàl Geo 2006 Serra, P. 2006. Doc. Anàl. Geog., 2006

F Farm structure t t • Farm size • Small Small farm farm size • Evolution to larger farms

• More bussiness More bussiness oriented • Farmer as a business man • Added Add d value l

• Integration in the value‐chain • Fruit as an example

• More capital demanding

F Farm structure t t (B i Empordà) (Baix E dà) YEAR

TOTAL

LIVESTO OCK

Farms # 2009

Surface (ha) 947

26345

1999

1335

1989 1982

Farms #

WITHOUT LIVESTOCK Surface (ha)

Farms #

Surface (ha)

349

11099

598

15245

40673

678

16826

657

23847

2427

40115

1170

21324

1257

18795

16 36 H /f 16,36 Ha/farm 2879

47090

64 % 1841 64 %

27513

1038

19581

27,81 Ha/farm

37 %

S ll farm Small f size i

I f t t Infrastructure • Irrigation channels • Communications • Research and extension (innovation stream) • Agrofood industry

I i ti Irrigation • Old infrastructures • Medieval Medieval irrigation irrigation channels • Originally to supply water to mills

• New irrigation New irrigation infrastructure • Higher efficiency • Buried B i d pipe i

From: Marta Payeró in a Anna Ribas

I f t t Infrastructure • Irrigation channels • Communications • Research and extension (innovation stream) • Agrofood industry

A i lt Agriculture i evolutio in l tion • Agriculture is not at all static (like any a other sector) • Two historical examples: • Local: Phylloxera • Fruit trees: Apple production from 1960 0’s

• On going example: • Agriculture and livestock

Vi i (vectors Vision ( t off cha hange – or unchange) h ) • Markets • Globalization • Global trends, global markets l b l d l b l k

• Abiotic stresses (climate change) • Biotic stresses • Pest and disease threats (example of kiw wi fruit – PSA disease)

• European p regulation g ((common agricu g ultural policy) p y) • New CAP regulation after 2014

• Impact of sociological changes • Organic • Slow food • km 0, carbon km 0, carbon foot print, water print, water foot printt