Agricultural Land Use and Farming Systems in Spain

Item 12: The Agricultural and Farming Area

Agricultural areas are geographic regions currently being upgraded by human activity. The Spanish geographical area spans 50.5 million hectares, with a land value of 80%. It is distributed into three categories:

• Cropping Area: Occupies 19 million hectares, though this has been reduced.
• Meadows and Pastures: Occupy 7 million hectares, primarily used for livestock feed.
• Forest Land: Mountainous areas with scarce agricultural potential.

1. Physical Conditioning Factors

Relief: Altitude significantly influences the climate by altering temperature and humidity. Uneven slopes affect soil stability and the potential for mechanization.

Climate: Determines major agricultural landscapes through precipitation and temperature. Spanish climates show great irregularity, with frequent frosts and heatwaves.

Soil: Conditions agriculture based on composition; clay soils are generally richer.

Vegetation: Often eliminated to permit agricultural development.

2. Historical and Socioeconomic Factors

Historical Conditions: Early agricultural management in Spain began with the Romans, while the Muslims emphasized irrigation and the production of fruits and vegetables.

Socioeconomic Conditions: Until the 20th century, Spanish society was primarily rural and agrarian. The agricultural workforce was 70% in 1900, declining significantly after 1960.

Technical Conditions: Technological innovation, mechanization, and the use of fertilizers have resulted in a substantial increase in agricultural yields.

3. Agrarian Structures

Property: The dominant form of land ownership in Spain is private property. Smallholdings are common in the north, the Levant, and the Mediterranean coast, whereas large farms (latifundia) are prevalent in Extremadura, Castilla-La Mancha, and western Andalusia.

Land Holdings: Refers to the technical and economic conditions of land use. More than half of all agricultural holdings in Spain are smallholdings.

Regimes of Tenure: Includes direct and indirect exploitation. In direct exploitation, the operator is the landowner. In indirect exploitation, the operator and the landowner are different, such as in tenant farming.

4. Repercussions of the CAP

Spain's accession to the EU marked the beginning of our participation in the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Established in 1962, the CAP aimed to increase productivity, ensure reasonable prices, and stabilize markets. These objectives were achieved through market mechanisms, target prices, and the establishment of the EAGGF, which provided a strong momentum for Spanish agriculture.