The Barcelona Provincial Council continues to enrich the 'BCN Smart Rural Stories' with the release of a new short film titled 'The Guardians of the Land'. Through this audiovisual work, the corporation aims to raise awareness about the importance of preserving and revitalizing agricultural and livestock activities in the province of Barcelona,  where 42% of cultivated land has been lost since the 1950s. The film places special emphasis on the creation and management of agricultural parks as an essential tool to address this challenge.

In addition to being key spaces to strengthen the primary sector, agrarian parks play a fundamental role in increasing the biodiversity of ecosystems. These areas act as carbon sinks, helping to mitigate the effects of climate change and contributing to regulating water and air cycles. Thanks to the ecosystem services they provide, agrarian parks not only safeguard the local agricultural and livestock sectors but also promote environmental sustainability and the resilience of agri-food production.

The short film raises the need to urgently address the protection of agricultural land and gives voice to three well-known individuals for their advocacy of sustainable agriculture and livestock in the region: Miquel Riera, a farmer from Horta Pla de Munt, a family-run organic farm located in Palafolls, in the heart of the Baixa Tordera Agrarian Space; Valentina Muñoz, a goat shepherdess at Artelac, an organic cheese dairy in the Montserrat Rural Park; and Josep Montasell, the main promoter of the Baix Llobregat Agrarian Park, the first managed agricultural area in Catalonia and Spain, and the second worldwide. They share their vision of the benefits of having more agricultural parks in the region, and through their inspiring stories, shed light on key aspects of the struggle to stop the progressive abandonment of the primary sector in the province of Barcelona.

A call to action to ensure local food supply

With 'The Guardians of the Land', BCN Smart Rural wants to raise public awareness of the urgency of preserving farmland and encourage the creation of more agrarian parks. Currently, the province hosts 9 agricultural spaces, covering 105,560 hectares of crops, pastures and forests. These areas stand out for their high agri-food, landscape, economic, ecological and cultural value, providing a wide range of services to 62 municipalities. However, 84% of agricultural land in the province of Barcelona is still not included in any agrarian park, indicating that there is still a long way to go. «To ensure the supply of the population with local food, it would be necessary to increase this extension», explains Sònia Callau, head of the Territorial Agricultural Directorate of the corporation and coordinator of the BCN Smart Rural program.

Based on data from the 'Lands that Feed' report, it has been found that with the current agricultural area in the counties of Barcelona, only 10% of its population can be fed in a self-sufficient manner. «The creation of agricultural parks is essential to protect our most fertile lands and ensure the continuity of a safe, healthy and sustainable agri-food system, in addition to constituting a legacy of great value for future generations», concludes Callau.

The short film was made possible by Broadcaster Content Agency in collaboration with the Barcelona Provincial Council and co-financed by FEDER funds from the European Union.

For additional details on the Barcelona Provincial Council's efforts to preserve and manage agricultural land, please reach out to Sònia Callau.

— BCN Smart Rural Editorial —