On Sunday, 3rd October, between 10:00 and 13:00, the first #JoEspigolo Harvesting Marathon will be held, an initiative by the Espigoladors Foundation aimed at highlighting the importance of reducing food loss and waste. The event will involve simultaneous harvesting activities in three agricultural areas along the Catalan coast: the Lower Tordera Agrarian Space, the Lower Llobregat Agrarian Park, and the Camp de Tarragona. Two of these areas have been developed with the support of the Diputació de Barcelona.

The 1st Harvesting Marathon will conclude the week of International Awareness Day on Food Loss and Waste and is expected to involve around fifty volunteers. These volunteers will collect fruits and vegetables directly from the fields, with the farmers’ permission, which have been discarded from the commercial supply chain due to overproduction, reduced sales, or aesthetic reasons. Once harvested, the food will be channelled to social organisations to provide access to healthy food for people in vulnerable situations and at risk of social exclusion.

Through this activity, the Baixa Tordera Agricultural Space and the Bajo Llobregat Agricultural Park join the fight against a global issue: the annual waste of 1.3 billion tonnes of food along the farm-to-table journey. This initiative also addresses local waste; in Catalonia, 35 kg of food per person is thrown away each year, according to data from the Catalan Waste Agency. This amounts to 193,851 tonnes of lost food annually in the Barcelona region, equivalent to 361,596 tonnes of CO₂ emissions released into the atmosphere each year.

The simultaneous harvesting event on Sunday also aims to connect urban residents with the countryside, raise awareness about the work of farmers, and highlight the value of food. It takes advantage of Barcelona being the World Capital of Sustainable Food this year and 2021 being the International Year of Fruits and Vegetables. The event is free, open to all ages, and does not require prior agricultural experience, though registration is necessary.

A unique agricultural space

The Lower Tordera Agrarian Space (EABT) is one of the most fertile and distinctive agricultural areas in Catalonia. As its name suggests, the EABT is located in the lower Tordera valley and spans an area of 140 km² between northern Maresme and southern La Selva. This region, of high productive, cultural, ecological, and landscape value, aims to showcase its ability to supply local food to both present and future generations. The five municipalities promoting it are Tordera, Santa Susanna, Palafolls, Malgrat de Mar, and Blanes, along with the Diputació de Barcelona.

For more information about the activities at the Lower Tordera Agrarian Space, please contact Sònia Callau, head of the Territorial Agrarian Directorate at the Barcelona Provincial Council.

— BCN Smart Rural Editorial —