Understanding Agricultural and Fishing Practices
Agricultural Practices
Transgenic Crops
Genetically modified plants with altered genes, often to enhance properties like pest resistance and yield.
Sharecropping
Indirect land ownership where the landlord receives a portion of the harvest in exchange for land use. Primarily practiced in Menorca (Balearic Islands), sharecropping is declining in favor of leasing to improve farmers’ economic solvency.
Monoculture
Cultivation of a single dominant plant species in a region. This system enables high mechanization and production but increases vulnerability to pests and poor harvests. An example is cereal cultivation in northern Spain.
Mixed Farming
Simultaneous cultivation of multiple plant species. This labor-intensive system distributes work throughout the year and is common in regions like Galicia.
Dryland Farming
Agriculture relying solely on rainwater, typically in areas with less than 500mm of annual rainfall. Common crops include cereals and grapes, primarily found in Spain’s interior and Mediterranean sublittoral regions.
Irrigation Farming
Agriculture utilizing human-controlled water sources like irrigation channels and wells. Examples include vegetable, rice, flower, and potato crops, mainly practiced in market gardens and along Spain’s Mediterranean coast.
Common Agricultural Policy (CAP)
EU government actions on land since 1962 (Spain’s participation began in 1986). Objectives include improving farms and promoting farmer profitability through subsidies and production controls.
Food Industry
Transformation of agricultural products, often by large multinationals but also smaller, local industries. Examples include preserved vegetables and beverages.
Fish Farming
Facilities for raising fish for sale or resettlement. Private fish farms produce trout in Galicia and Catalonia, while public farms produce eggs for restocking native species like salmon and crab.
Livestock Practices
Intensive Livestock Farming
Livestock raised in feedlots, separate from the natural environment, and fed with prepared feed. Located near urban centers, this system often involves foreign breeds, modern techniques, and high reliance on fodder and feed compounds.
Ranching
Livestock grazing on natural grasslands and pastures. Traditionally associated with native breeds and methods, ranching is evolving towards intensive or mixed systems.
Alternative Agriculture
Farming using alternative, often biological or ecological, methods. This approach avoids chemical fertilizers and genetically modified seedlings, relying on natural products and techniques.
Forest Restoration
Replanting trees to restore forests. Ecologically valuable restoration uses native tree species, but economic criteria sometimes prioritize fast-growing trees, leading to environmental problems.
Transhumance
Seasonal herd migration for pasture. Herds move to mountains in summer and plains in winter. This practice is declining in Spain due to pasture scarcity and a shortage of shepherds.
Fishing Practices
Fishing Grounds
Areas where a state has exclusive fishing rights, extending up to 200 nautical miles from the coast. Spain’s fishing area is divided into eight regions.
Aquaculture
Technology for breeding, reproducing, and cultivating freshwater or saltwater species, both plant and animal. Purposes include food production, restocking fisheries, and scientific research.
Coastal Fishing
Near-shore fishing with small boats, often impacted by overfishing and resource depletion. The northwest coast of the Iberian Peninsula is the most productive.
Artisanal Fishing
Near-shore fishing with traditional methods, affected by resource depletion and pollution. Methods used in the Balearic Islands include trawling, longlines, and wheel fishing. Production is low and typically for local consumption.