Iñigo Haughey (Terrassa, 1987) is an oenologist and production manager at the Barcelona centre of L'Olivera. This cooperative for social integration is based in Can Calopa de Dalt, a farmhouse that constitutes the last vestige of the winemaking culture of the Serra de Collserola Natural Park. In addition to producing the only certified wine from the city of Barcelona, the cooperative is also re-establishing olive groves in peri-urban areas, thanks to which it produces some distinctive olive oils. Iñigo is an entrepreneur of the land with a strong vocation for educating and informing people. This much is evident in his activity as co-founder of the Rabassaires company and as a member of Collserola Pagesa, a local farming association.

Iñigo turns out to be someone with a wide range of interests, in terms of both farming and social concerns. He aspires to a quiet life, tending to the vineyard and making wine with his family by his side, in the part of the world he calls home. After working at Finca Parera, he arrived at Can Calopa in 2016. It was a great opportunity to expand his knowledge.

The farmhouse boasts 3.5 hectares of agricultural land, of which the vineyard makes up 1.5 hectares. Several Mediterranean varieties were initially planted on the estate, but many of them have been replaced by native, local species, such as Xarel·lo or Garnatxa negra (red Grenache). The estate produces an annual grape yield of approximately 5 tonnes, which they plan to increase. In addition to grapes, the cooperative also produces olive oil and is certified by the Catalan Council for Organic Agricultural Production (CCPAE). The Can Calopa winery produces about 12,000 bottles a year, but L’Olivera also manages a vineyard in the Sabadell Agrarian Park.

The wines of L’Olivera bear the Catalunya D.O. (Designation of Origin) seal. They’re produced using highly artisanal farming practices, carried out exclusively with manual tools. One of the reasons for adopting this approach is that the cooperative’s agricultural projects are used as means to offer employment to people with difficulties, especially of a social nature. As Iñigo likes to point out, the cooperative’s main goal is to produce high-quality wines. However, the production process also involves performing an important social role, in terms of both housing and employment.

As far as the marketing strategy of L’Olivera is concerned, its products can be found in the catering sector and in specialised stores across Catalonia and in the Balearic Islands. The cooperative has a direct sales channel and has recently established an export business. Eight people work in the production area of Can Calopa de Dalt: five of them come from a Special Work Centre  and the other three are specialised technicians. The cooperative is also made up of other areas, such as the wine cellar, managed by a labour insertion company, and the personnel area, which is responsible for the social, administrative and management side of the business.

How did you end up at L'Olivera – Can Can Calopa de Dalt?

After finishing secondary school in Sant Cugat, I took a summer job as a gardener, working for my then brother-in-law. I decided to study landscaping in Lleida and return to the Vallès area. I taught English during this period, what with my father being Irish. I became interested in the world of wine when I was given the job of managing a small vineyard belonging to the father of a friend of mine. What’s more, the father of the girlfriend I had at that time owned a wine distribution company, so I decided to study at the Mercè Rossell i Domènech Agricultural School of Viniculture and Oenology, in Sant Sadurní d'Anoia. AAfter completing my studies, I worked at the winery of Rubèn Parera (the winemaker in charge of Finca Parera) for four harvests, from 2013 to 2016. I joined Can Calopa as production manager in 2016. Since then, I’ve got involved in plenty of other initiatives! In 2019 we decided that one of the lines of strategy of L'Olivera would be the exportation of its products, so now I’m also responsible for this part of the business. Meanwhile, in 2017, I started up a personal project, Rabassaires, with involves bringing vineyards back to life in the county of Vallès Occidental. We already have one in Cerdanyola and now we’re going to replant vines in Sant Cugat, Cerdanyola and Terrassa.

Do you have any childhood memories that influenced your decision to opt for landscaping, gardening and, later on, the agricultural sector?

I’ve been lucky to have parents who’ve taught me to love nature and animals, as well as having the good fortune to grow up in Ullastrell, in a very rural environment. Moreover, my father had a small olive farm in El Perelló and we used to spend our summers in an agricultural area. The fond memories I have of that time have left their mark on me.

What do you find so attractive about the world of wine?

I came to winemaking through landscaping, plants, forestry and gardening. Farming didn’t really appeal to me initially, but with wine a new world opened up before me, and I started working with Rubèn Parera. I enjoyed the work and it awakened in me an interest in farming in my local area, Collserola, which has a rich winemaking history. Since then, I’ve specialised in viticulture. I feel free working the land. Farming gives you a freedom that other jobs don’t. I like the magic of creating a product that comes from the earth. I also love cooking! The wine harvest is the time of year I look forward to the most. After all the effort you put in during the year, it’s lovely to be able to harvest fruit and turn it into wine. It’s a beautiful time of year. Everyone likes wine, it’s an essential ingredient of festivities and celebrations. I find that totally captivating. Many years ago, while working in Ethiopia, I was involved in farming projects aimed at establishing the cultivation of fruit trees adapted to drought conditions, in collaboration with a foundation and the Institute of Agrifood Research and Technology (IRTA). It was there that my interest in farming and food was sparked. I’ve always been strongly attracted to the world of food, which is so broad.

«I feel free working the land. Farming gives you a freedom that other jobs don’t» Iñigo Haughey don't give you

When you joined L'Olivera, in addition to your interest in food, you added a social dimension to your work. Is this something that already interested you?

Indeed, one of the reasons why I was pleased about joining L'Olivera was its cooperative structure and its implementation of projects with a positive impact on the local area and society. L'Olivera not only allowed me to continue my passion for making wine but also to make it using a cooperative approach. So there’s the production side and the social side, and we often ask ourselves which comes first: the chicken or the egg? We debate this issue internally but really the answer is that this duality exists and is present in L'Olivera. The cooperative generates employment through agriculture; in turn, through agriculture we foster inclusion and help people with the transition to independent living. In other words, our goal is not only to make wine, but also to manage teams and promote autonomy. Despite the complexities involved, we’re constantly progressing and growing at L'Olivera. Our wine cellar, for example, has really been taking shape and we’ve professionalised it. In the process, we’ve learned a lot about wine tourism and hospitality. It’s working well now!

In the county of Vallès Occidental, vineyards currently have an extremely limited presence, despite the area’s rich winemaking history. You created your Rabassaires project with the goal of reviving this legacy. Could you tell us a little bit more about your idea?

There are two facets to consider. On the one hand, Vallès must be seen as an industrialised urban area with a major road network but where agriculture has had a significant presence. In 1988, for example, which was the last year when winemaking took place at the Sant Cugat cooperative winery, two million kilos of locally harvested grapes were processed! So the goal with Rabassaires is to revive this tradition. I had this idea going round and round in my head: «I want to make wine, but in the part of the world I call home!».

On the other hand, it’s important to understand cities as healthy spaces for their inhabitants. Promoting health not only means reducing traffic, but also having green spaces, being able to stroll in rural settings within cities and producing food locally. The public authorities have been working on this issue for some time, but must continue to raise awareness of the fact that production has a cost and that consuming food grown in peri-urban areas not only has a positive impact on the landscape, but also on the economy and employment. People need to understand that the food produced in these areas is more expensive, but that, by consuming it, they’re contributing to agroecology, to reducing the risk of forest fires and to fostering labour insertion.

«it’s important to understand cities as healthy spaces for their inhabitants. Promoting health not only means reducing traffic, but also having green spaces, being able to stroll in rural settings within cities and producing food locally» Iñigo Haughey

it’s important to understand cities as healthy spaces for their inhabitants. Promoting health not only means reducing traffic, but also having green spaces, being able to stroll in rural settings within cities and producing food locally

In these environments, you have to implement measures such as building fences and installing nets to protect crops from birds. You have to do things that aren’t so necessary in rural agricultural areas... What’s more, the Asian hornet, which is present in Collserola, does a lot of damage to grapes. Wild boars also do damage, and the public authorities don’t deploy enough effective control mechanisms. This is a problem for the whole of Catalonia, but it seems to be more noticeable here in Collserola. Vandalism is also an issue in peri-urban areas.

The point is that these added difficulties entail additional costs, which means that food grown in peri-urban areas must be sold at higher prices. If you live in the city and want to be able to stroll in agricultural areas, you must be prepared to pay a fair price for these products.

Do the people in your life understand and appreciate your dedication to preserving the local area? How do they react?

My family is very aware of it, but as far as my friends are concerned, it depends. Generally speaking, they struggle with it. The most understanding ones are those who are most active in promoting sustainable food and the Social Solidarity Economy. But then there are other people in my life who prioritise comfort and ease, who don’t want to overcomplicate their lives. In other words, some people are willing to pay the real prices of local products because they appreciate the work we do and where we do it, but much remains to be done in terms of education and food culture.

The Serra de Collserola Natural Park is affected by urban pressure, industrialisation and other factors. As a member of Collserola Pagesa, an association that brings together local farmers, you’re striving to change these dynamics. What do you think the priority actions are?

Collserola is still perceived as a leisure park. Despite the good work that’s being done to boost its profile as an agricultural space, it still retains this image and alternative use. For example, sometimes people walk their dogs in crop fields or take a shortcut on their bike through cereal crops. There’s a lack of culture and knowledge in this respect. It’s crucial to respect farming, since there are people who make their living from it. We’re well aware of the fact that Collserola is a natural park, not an agricultural park, and citizens should obviously be able to enjoy it. But it’s also essential to generate awareness about the other aspect. The natural park and the Arran de terra cooperative are working on promotional initiatives, and farmers have participated in show cooking events with local products, in addition to promoting the Mandó Tomato Festival in Sant Cugat last year. As farmers in the Collserola area, we implement innovative, creative solutions in order to meet our needs, such as the possibility of making shared machinery available, subsidised by the park, or the Agricultural Contract, which helps us fund tasks that aren’t exclusively agricultural.

Farmers say that the Collserola Agricultural Contract is a good initiative that should be rolled out. This contract offers funding for the socio-environmental services of farmers, through a dedicated payment scheme open to professionals in the primary sector who work in the Collserola area. What have you achieved this season thanks to this funding?

At Can Calopa de Dalt, we’ve carried out forestry work outside the farm in order to expand firebreak strips, and we’ve created pasture clearings with our flock of 14 sheep. We’ve focused a lot on fire risk management. It’s become a critical issue due to the severe drought we’ve been suffering for the last two years, which wasn’t habitual in the past. It’s very positive that we’re currently being funded by the 2022 contract and that, in theory, the support is set to continue. Nonetheless, it would be great to know we’ll still be receiving it in five years’ time.

«At Can Calopa de Dalt, we’ve carried out forestry work outside the farm in order to expand firebreak strips, and we’ve created pasture clearings with our flock of 14 sheep» Iñigo Haughey

You must have learned a lot since you joined L’Olivera and started up your Rabassaires project. Are there any surprising aspects you’d like to highlight?

At Can Calopa, I’ve been really surprised by the social impact generated by the project: the social integration of the people who work there is plain to see. We’re creating economic activity: when I joined, there were 20 workers and now there are almost 40 of us! Apart from this, with both L’Olivera and Rabassaires, I’ve learned that it’s extremely difficult to do farming in the setting of a natural park. In Collserola, for example, we have limited access to machinery, to service providers, to suppliers of the materials we need for farming tasks... In my personal project, I’ve also noticed how difficult it is to access land: although there are many abandoned farms in this area, it’s taken me five years to be able to lease an area in which to plant vines. There are several reasons for this: some people demand the sort of rent you’d expect for a home, and it’s hard to locate the owners of abandoned land. What’s more, the public authorities – the Government of Catalonia and local councils – provide insufficient information and support.

You’ve experienced the challenge of accessing land to start up an agricultural project. In addition to the efforts being made by the public authorities and civil society to promote generational renewal through land banks, business incubators, training, etc., would you like to suggest any other measures?

These initiatives are very positive, but I think they’ve come a little late. I know of people who’ve tried to find land in Collserola but have ended up giving up and going elsewhere. It’s important to realise that the people and entities who do farming activity in the park are mostly new generations of farmers; in other words, we don’t come from farming stock. So no generational renewal has been established in Collserola. We don’t have the same cultural and professional background as other regions, such as Alt Penedès or Osona... We start from scratch here, which requires major investments and can wear you down. Added to this, we’re not equipped to deal with the paperwork of food system subsidies. It seems that in order to become an entrepreneur, you have to go through a phase of precariousness, both in terms of employment and wages. This makes no sense. Tools are needed to facilitate access, since the existing ones are slow. Five years is too long to wait for a project to get up and running. A lot can happen in five years!

«IIt seems that in order to become an entrepreneur, you have to go through a phase of precariousness, both in terms of employment and wages. This makes no sense» Iñigo Haughey

Can you imagine a future in which Collserola returns to what it was a 100 years ago, with a significant presence of agriculture?

Collserola won’t return to what it was from an agricultural point of view. Back in the 1950s, between 20 and 30 percent of the area was farmland, whereas that figure is now less than two percent. Furthermore, there aren’t too many people keen to enter farming. In the past, people lived as farmers. They kept cattle and vegetable gardens, managed the forest, hunted wild boar and tended to vineyards in order to sell wine. That model has changed and not so many people are willing to embark on agricultural projects nowadays. Even so, I believe that farming will grow in Collserola: we’re seeing an expansion in the number of agricultural entities and projects. Young people and students from agricultural schools come here to do internships, and this will generate more employment. I imagine a more agricultural Collserola with many more vineyards. And, water conditions permitting, there’ll also be more vegetable gardens.

Climate change is creating a great deal of uncertainty for me. Will it be possible to grow certain crops in this park 10 or 15 years from now? Or will cereals, vines and olive trees be the sole survivors? We’ll have to adapt to the impact of climate change. At Can Calopa, for example, we want to build a collective oil mill. We’ve submitted a project to Barcelona City Council. Olive growing could have a future here.

«I imagine a more agricultural Collserola with many more vineyards. And, water conditions permitting, there’ll also be more vegetable gardens» Iñigo Haughey

Farming is a difficult enough activity in itself. But here at L'Olivera you also have the mission to work with people who face difficulties in social integration. What does farming work give them?

L'Olivera has two separate centres. The Vallbona de les Monges centre is set in a rural area with depopulation problems, which makes it difficult to integrate people at risk of social exclusion. Our current focus there is on young migrants. Meanwhile, at Can Calopa de Dalt we’re implementing a project designed to facilitate the transition towards personal independence and real integration. We have residential facilities, where some people live, and we also offer support for independent living in apartments that we have in Molins de Rei. Our users, who come to us through the social services or guardianship foundations, initially live in the residential facility in order to carry out the process of adapting to independent living. If the process is successful, they then move into one of the apartments. If they don’t adapt, we identify other resources that might be suitable for them.

In terms of employment, most of the people who come here have never worked before, so they face difficulties adapting to the world of work like anyone else. Here, they have to work out in the fields, whether they like it or not, and it’s a somewhat isolated environment. However, they learn habits which will later help them find jobs that are better suited to their skills or abilities. Some young people have been working here for 10 years, while others have learned work habits but have left to find something they like more than farming. The main goal is for them to integrate within the community, and this community is not in Can Calopa, but rather in Molins, Barcelona or Sant Cugat.

Do you like your current way of life or do you envisage something different?

It’s very simple. I’m already happy, because I work in something I’m passionate about: winegrowing and winemaking. But I’d also like to be able to make a decent living from my hard work. I’d love not to have to look at my bank account at the end of the month to decide whether or not I can buy something. Although getting rich with an agricultural project is a pipe dream, I’d like to live an economically stable and quiet life. In short, I want to live where I like, quietly getting on with what I love doing. I don’t need anything else to be happy!

— BCN Smart Rural Editorial —