• Watch 'The Guardians of the Land'

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.

This production by BCN Smart Rural, in collaboration with Broadcaster Content Agency, has been possible thanks to the co-financing of the Barcelona Provincial Council and the FEDER funds of the European Union.

— BCN Smart Rural Editorial —