Agricultural Land Use in the Iberian Peninsula: Livestock, Forests and Irrigation

Summary

This document describes the main agricultural and land-use patterns of the Iberian Peninsula as shown on a map. It explains why mixed farming with livestock dominates the north, how forests and grasslands occupy the mountain ranges, and where irrigated agriculture is found. It also traces the history of irrigation policy in Spain, from Roman and Muslim times to the twentieth century.

Key points

Northern regions (Galicia, Asturias, Cantabria, Basque Country, western León and Zamora, and much of Portugal) favour mixed farming with livestock because of the Atlantic climate, broken relief and historic land system.
The Atlantic climate, with regular rain and mild temperatures, favours meadows, forests and cattle.
Forests occupy the highest altitudes of the peninsular mountain ranges, and grasslands appear as altitude decreases.
Irrigated agriculture is scattered across areas such as Valencia, Murcia, the Guadalquivir Valley, the Portuguese Algarve and parts of the Ebro and Tagus valleys.
Only about 26% of Spanish land is classified as "wet", which makes irrigation necessary for many crops.
The Gasset Plan of 1902 aimed to double irrigated area, but its progress was limited by the structure of landownership (landlordism).

Test yourself

The proposed map shows the different agricultural and agricultural land uses in designated portions of the Iberian Peninsula. The mixed farming with livestock referred to in the first question is for northern regions, i.e., Galicia, Asturias, Cantabria, and the Basque Country, along with the western part of Leon and Zamora. Also included in this group is a large part of Portugal. The main reasons are:

Weather: This is the domain area of the Atlantic climate, with abundant and regular rains throughout the year, and smooth annual temperatures without large oscillations. This type of climate is ideal for the development of meadows and forests, and therefore, for cattle.
Relief: This is a mountainous area of broken relief, with little flat land suitable for cultivation.
Historic tradition and the land system: In the area dominated by smallholder subsistence agriculture, which is in decline compared to cattle.

With all this, however, agriculture does not disappear completely from the area, mainly due to its rich, developed soils.

Forests and Grasslands in the Iberian Peninsula

The second question concerns the extent of forests and grasslands. We can see from the map how these areas remain almost millimeter lines of the great peninsular mountain ranges, i.e., areas that, for reasons of topography and climate, cannot be used for agriculture: Cantabrian, Pyrenees, Central System, Montes de León, northern Sierras of Cáceres, Montes de Toledo, Sierra Morena, Béticos Systems, the Iberian, and Catalan Cordilleras. In all cases, the highest altitudes are under forest, and as altitude is lost, grasslands appear.

Irrigated Agriculture in Spain and Portugal

With respect to irrigated agriculture, it is found scattered throughout many areas of the map: Valencia, Alicante, Murcia, the Guadalquivir Valley, small areas of Extremadura, the Portuguese Algarve, Douro Valley areas, and small areas of the Tagus and Ebro Valleys.

Irrigation, understood as a system that allows cultivation in areas that do not receive enough water by natural means, is necessary in Spain, as only 26% of the land is classified as "wet."

Since historical times (Roman and Muslim domination), it has been a technique often used in Spain. In contemporary times, in 1902, the First National Water Works, the Gasset Plan, was approved, which aimed to double the area cultivated by this system. Only partially developed, it contributed, however, to the expansion of crops such as sugar beet and cotton, and it was the basis of the National Water Works of 1933. However, all these projects were met with a serious drawback: the structure of property, basically the extent of landlordism, which prevented any progress. Hence, after the Civil War, the policy of the INC (National Colonization Institute) was heading toward the expansion of irrigation in areas of settlement and land consolidation.

Currently, production from irrigation, like the rest of the Spanish primary activity, is derived from the guidelines of the agricultural policy of the European Union.

FAQ

Why is livestock farming common in northern Iberia?

The Atlantic climate with abundant, regular rain and smooth temperatures suits meadows and forests, and the broken, mountainous relief leaves little flat land for cultivation. Historic smallholder land systems also shaped this pattern, although agriculture has not disappeared from the area.

Why is irrigation necessary in Spain?

Irrigation allows cultivation in areas that do not receive enough water naturally. The text notes that only 26% of Spanish land is classified as "wet", so irrigation is needed for much of the country.

What was the Gasset Plan?

The Gasset Plan was the First National Water Works approved in 1902. It aimed to double the area under irrigation and was only partially developed, though it helped expand crops such as sugar beet and cotton.