Josep Montasell Dorda (Mataró, 1953) was linked to the Baix Llobregat Agrarian Park from its beginnings until 2013, when he stopped being its director. Fifteen years in total during which he strove to consolidate a new model of protection and management of agricultural spaces. Luckily, he did not lack energy, vitality and the desire to fight and, day by day, step by step, he overcame all barriers and, today, the agricultural park that he dreamed of is more than a reality: it is a case of success that has created a school and is even studied in many universities.

The constitution of the Baix Llobregat Agrarian Park is a very important milestone in the demarcation of Barcelona because it was the first time that farmers and local governments in the territory agreed to protect and protect agricultural land. But it was not the last: since then, there are already eight projects that have followed in the footsteps started by this grandson and son of farmers, as he defines himself.

 

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Josep, you come from a family of farmers, you have lived in a farmhouse and you have worked as a farmer for many years; basically, until you joined the Barcelona Provincial Council, in 1998, to promote the first agricultural park in Catalonia. To make it a reality, we implemented a very innovative figure for the protection, organization and management of agricultural spaces. But twenty-three years have passed since the constitution of the Baix Llobregat Agrarian Park and, currently, the percentage of agricultural area formally protected in the Barcelona district with an agricultural park or similar figure does not reach 13%. Why do you think this happens? Do you think that sufficient resources have been allocated for the protection, organization and management of the territory's agricultural spaces?

Before answering your question, let me clarify that the constitution of the Agrarian Park is not just my merit: for years there had been a group of people defending the need to consolidate the agrarian territorial base in a proactive way from different professional fields. The brothers Jordi and Andreu Peix, Jordi Carbonell, Miquel Domènech, Manel Canes, Ricardo Estrada, Pere Vidal, Quico Mestres, Agàpit Borràs and myself had been thinking for some time that we had to go beyond the fact of recognizing, in municipal urban planning, agricultural land as non-developable land of agricultural interest or value. Preserving and organizing it was necessary, but, in addition, it was necessary to add a very important aspect: the agricultural land had to be managed. If we wanted to consolidate the territory with a professional, productive agricultural sector with a future, it was necessary to recognize the reality of the agricultural space, express the will to resolve negative situations and promote new opportunities and trends. A management tool was needed that would allow decisions to be made with the will to execute them, it was necessary to have sufficient economic and human resources, and to obtain the commitment to establish measures for its development with the support of the agricultural sector and the administrations involved, especially the local.

The thing is that we had been thinking about this idea for a long time, and we already had it more or less developed, when we met the Parco Agricolo Sur in Milan. At that moment, the idea took shape: the Italian agricultural park was the reference that allowed us to deploy and concretize the Sabadell Agrarian Park and the Baix Llobregat Agrarian Park. From this beginning, the rest of the agricultural spaces have been preserved over the years. All of them have come forward thanks to the will of people committed to each of the projects, with more or less budget. The Gallecs Rural Space, the Montserrat Rural Park, the Baixa Tordera Agrarian Space, the Òdena Basin Agrarian Park, the Five Sénies-Mata-Valldeix Agrarian Space in Mataró and the Séquia Park in Manresa are agrarian areas that were born taking as reference parameters those established by the Baix Llobregat Agrarian Park, although they have later been baptized with different names: agrarian park, rural park, agrarian space, etc. But the name is not so important: what is truly relevant is having the will to preserve, organize, manage and develop agricultural space. Achieving this requires, above all, time and persistence, since they are long processes where very diverse actors intervene, ranging from the public administration to the peasantry themselves, and we must talk with all of them and find the points of agreement necessary to make effective each project. To move forward with an agricultural park, the people who lead the initiative must have a strong will to persist.

 

«To move forward with an agricultural park, the people who lead the initiative must have a firm will to persist» Josep Montasell

 

Do you think that the protection of an agricultural space constitutes an impediment to its economic development or rather the opposite?

The preservation of an agricultural space must be carried out with a vision of the future, which does not mean ignoring the present. You have to work under the influence of what I call "creative utopia". That is, it must be utopian in approach, but this utopia must be created and built from day-to-day work. A daily job that, by the way, should never make us forget the objectives we want to achieve. When this happens, it is not anticipated and frustrating situations arise.

As I have said many times, if there is agricultural space, there can be farmers; But if there is no agricultural space, there will surely be no farmers. And we must believe this statement: agricultural land cannot constantly suffer precarious situations. If we really consider, as the Parliament of Catalonia states, that agricultural space is strategic, it should not be damaged or always be under the threat of brick, a photovoltaic plant or a recreational complex such as EuroVegas. Agricultural land must be protected and it must be done for many reasons, but above all because it is a non-renewable resource and the basis of agricultural and livestock production activity and, consequently, also of food. Catalonia is a country with limited resources of good quality soil and, if we want to move towards food self-sufficiency, we must ensure that agricultural lands can continue producing food.

Seen from this prism, the protection of an agricultural space favours agricultural activity and, therefore, its economic development. Agricultural land is not, nor should it be, a place to develop economic activity around any proposal that is not strictly agricultural. And it is not a place to install photovoltaic plants either. The plants grown in agricultural spaces are already, by definition, large "photovoltaic plants", since, through photosynthesis, they produce food, a fundamental source of energy.

 

«If there is agricultural space, there can be farmers. But if there is no agricultural space, surely there will be no farmers» Josep Montasell

 

What are the most important values of protected agricultural spaces? What beneficial effects does the constitution of an agricultural park have on food production, biodiversity, health, tourism, etc.?

Without going into it in depth, I will say that a protected and managed agricultural park has values derived from the available resources (climate, soil, water, landscape, people, etc.), ecological values (resulting from habitats, biodiversity, the function of ecological corridor, etc.) and cultural values (tradition and know-how of the peasantry, architectural heritage, road and irrigation networks, etc.). This set of intrinsic values has greater or lesser importance in each agricultural space, but they all share the fact of having an economic function so that they can develop a professional agricultural activity; and an environmental function because they improve people's quality of life and enrich the landscape; and a social function because they can be travelled on foot or by bicycle, they provide elements for environmental education and invite the discovery of the environment.

To these values and functions, we must add its contribution to the circular economy, a potential that is increased when agricultural spaces use the compost resulting from the treatment of the organic fraction of urban waste or use regenerated water from the purification of urban waste to irrigate. urban wastewater. These are two contributions that should be used much more, especially in the current context of climate emergency, since, on the one hand, the amount of water needed for irrigation may be reduced, and, in addition, they would help to increase organic matter. of the soil and enrich its quality.

In this regard, I would like to add a fact that seems very important to me: the need to strengthen and promote relationships between agricultural spaces and urban spaces. The fields that surround a municipality should not be perceived as spaces disconnected from the life of the town or city, but as integral elements of its activity. The agrarian world and the urban world should be managed as a single unit with its own but complementary characteristics, and its main link should be promoted much more: food. If local governments incorporated food planning together with urban planning, they would truly understand the beneficial effects that food production has on the biodiversity, health, tourism, landscape, culture, heritage, etc., of an area. municipality.

I believe that the urban debate on Barcelona's superblocks should be extended to agricultural space, since it includes concepts that would help improve its planning. For example, superblocks want to improve residents' quality of life by prioritizing sustainable mobility and ordering the flows of resources that enter and leave the neighbourhood: water, goods, etc. Why don't we transfer this idea from the urban world to the agricultural world? Why don't we promote the creation of "agrarian superblocks" or "food plots" and think about how we can organize the flows of food produced in the agricultural space closest to each superblock and thus guarantee citizens' access to food proximity? I find this question so interesting that right now we are developing it in a publication that will be titled "Food Governance from Local Public Policy."

 

Currently, what are the main threats suffered by farmland in the Barcelona district? Where do you think it is most urgent to protect agricultural land?

There are several types, but I want to highlight three: the price of agricultural products, the energy transition and what I call "farmlarization." But let's start with the first danger... Contrary to what is always said, the peasantry does not live from their work on the land, but from what they earn by selling the products obtained thanks to knowing how to work the land. In this sense, if the prices of the food produced do not make it possible to fairly remunerate the work of the peasantry, farmers and ranchers become discouraged and it will be difficult to encourage the incorporation of new people into the primary sector. And this is a problem that the administration, citizens and farmers must face seriously: if a territory wants to have farmers, food must be paid at a fair price.

The second threat comes from assuming, from a simplistic analysis, that agricultural space is a reserve of land for the installation of windmills and photovoltaic plants. From this point of view, not leaving them indiscriminately or doubting their suitability in a specific agricultural area is often interpreted as opposition to the necessary energy transition. In some cases, the installation of renewable energies is almost imposed and, in others, attractive economic offers are made to owners of agricultural land who, either are not farmers, or are farmers, but obtain little profit from their farms. It is an issue that must be thought very carefully, because these installations not only entail a significant destruction of productive agricultural land, but also affect the landscape.

The third problem that I raise is “farmlarization”; That is, the process by which self-employed farmers either go to work for agricultural companies as employees, or continue working on their farms, but linking themselves to an external company, which is the one who makes the decisions. In this economic model, the peasantry must make heavy investments to guarantee the increase in productivity and the reduction of production costs demanded by these companies, and, as a consequence, they are forced to assume a growing debt that is often untenable.

 

«If a territory wants to have farmers, food must be paid at a fair price» Josep Montasell

 

How do you value the current Law on agricultural spaces? Approved two years ago, has it served to stop the occupation of the agricultural environment?

This is a long-awaited law, but it still does not have the regulations to develop it. Nor has it incorporated the management of agricultural spaces in a committed manner, nor has it endorsed the figures of agricultural and rural parks as management models, or the creation of a proactive land bank or funds. In short, it is a law that is not very daring and, furthermore, it seems to have stopped in its deployment. I wonder if one day we will have an Agrarian Sector Plan in Catalonia.

 

For effective protection of farmland, is it enough to have a good regulatory framework? What other elements are essential for an agricultural park to be successful? What measures should municipalities implement that wish to ensure that urban, forestry and infrastructure growth is sustainable and does not endanger their agricultural areas?

Protection of agricultural space should be based on three pillars: urban protection with a special urban protection and improvement plan, a management plan where the model of agricultural space that is to be developed is specified (and annual or biannual with an action plan) and a managing entity in charge of revitalizing the agricultural space, carrying out the actions planned for each period. These are the principles on which the Baix Llobregat Agrarian Park is based. And we know that what is most difficult is writing and approving the special urban plan, especially due to reluctance on the part of local administrations and part of the primary sector. But not having it is an important deficiency, and even more so when it is necessary to defend these spaces from threats such as those posed by photovoltaic plants. That said, not having a special urban plan is no excuse for not working and specifying the other two pillars. With them, we can now defend and manage agricultural space. It is necessary to be proactive.

 

«Not having a special urban plan is no excuse for not working and specifying the other two pillars. With them, we can now defend and manage agricultural space» Josep Montasell

 

Do you think it is necessary to review municipal territorial planning policies taking into account the effects of climate change? Without integrating the services associated with carbon sequestration from crop fields, do you think that the towns and cities in the Barcelona district will be able to achieve the objective of reducing greenhouse gases by 55% in the next nine years, as stated in the recent Declaration of Climate Emergency?

Urban, climate, environmental and food policies should not be interpreted as watertight compartments, but rather should be considered holistically and inclusively, seeing their obvious interrelationships and making planning and management proposals that are part of the same project. Regarding climate emergency issues and agricultural activity, it is necessary to carry out a joint analysis that allows us to promote the production of local food; carry out good water management that results in a decrease in its consumption and the availability of new supply sources such as regenerated water; improve the organic matter content of the soil by composting the organic fraction of urban waste; look for solutions to the agricultural spaces closest to the coastline that may disappear due to rising sea levels, etc.

To reduce the effects of the global increase in temperatures, perhaps we should consider agriculture at different heights and associate, for example, fruit trees and orchards or carpenter trees and cereals or vines. In fact, this proposal has nothing new: if we visit the Huerto del Cura in Elche, we will see that the plots had an irrigation network and the crops were distributed on three levels: the palm trees with dates were located on the periphery of the plots In the middle of the plots we found pomegranate trees and other fruit trees, and vegetables were interspersed between the fruit trees. In this way, they were able to filter the intensity of the sun's rays and obtain microclimates more suitable for each crop. If we want to calm the increase in temperatures, this is an interesting solution that we should delve into and, why not, even study its viability in our country.

 

«Urban planning, climate, environmental and food policies should not be interpreted as watertight compartments, but rather should be considered holistically» Josep Montasell

 

Why do you think there are more hectares of protected natural spaces in the Barcelona district than of agricultural spaces? Do we value forests much more than local foods? How could this historical bias be corrected?

The current natural spaces are the result of popular demands from the seventies and a political predisposition to have tools capable of stopping the excessive growth of second-home developments of the time, among other things. Today, would we be able to declare so many protected natural spaces and preserve so many hectares? I am convinced that no.

As for agricultural spaces, at that time there was no popular demand to protect them and, as a consequence, the option to do so was not considered either. However, there are memorable exceptions... This is the case of "Gallecs, agricultural", a protest action that in the seventies managed to stop the construction of a city for some 130,000 inhabitants in agricultural fields, despite the expropriations having already been carried out. necessary. Also the "Save the Pla" of the Baix Llobregat, an initiative promoted by farmers, neighbours and environmentalists in defence of the agricultural spaces of the delta area and the lower valley of the Llobregat River. And in Sabadell, the “We protect our fields and forests” campaign also successfully brought together a good number of entities.

Since the eighties, there have been more proposals to protect the territory's agricultural spaces, especially in the area of the Metropolitan Region of Barcelona. Many of these proposals have already been finalized or are being finalized, as is the case of the Montserrat Rural Park, the Baixa Tordera Agrarian Space and the Cinco Norias-Mata-Valldeix Agrarian Space in Mataró. And others are considering it... In any case, as I said before, these are initiatives that must go a long way and they need to be led by people who do not give up and are constant. It is also necessary that there be political will, proactive officials not dedicated to finding fault, the support of part of the agricultural sector and many conversations between the local administration and the peasantry to choose the model of agricultural space that best suits the demands and needs of the territory. In addition, we must have the support of citizens so that they make this space their own, that it is their pantry, that they know it and enjoy it. Achieving all this is a process that requires time and maturity.

Before moving on to the next question, I would like to highlight the very important role that the Barcelona Provincial Council has played, and continues to play, in promoting not only the natural spaces of the demarcation with its own network but also the agricultural spaces of the territory. It would be unfair not to recognize the effort that this administration is making and has made to create, consolidate and manage the natural and agricultural spaces of the province.

 

«I would like to highlight the very important role that the Barcelona Provincial Council has played, and continues to play, in promoting not only the natural spaces of the demarcation with its own network, but also the agricultural spaces of the territory» Josep Montasell

 

What role does agricultural education play in understanding the past, present and future of agri-food systems? Do you think teaching children to grow their food sustainably should be a mandatory subject in schools?

Having trained technicians is essential in any profession and project, but, in agricultural issues, we need both university and professional training technicians who are prepared to incorporate a holistic and inclusive vision of the field of territorial and urban planning, climate change, environment, food and nutrition. There may be specialists, but this overview is very important.

In fact, to contribute new ideas, I think we should develop a specialization that we could call "hortussolier", that is, a person who is an expert in tasting fruits and vegetables and capable of explaining their nutritional, organoleptic and culinary qualities, in addition to Help in preparing a restaurant menu. If we want to expand the social and economic valuation of fruits and vegetables, we need to create a professional profile that can revalue these products and, just as a sommelier does with wines, create a myth around them.

In schools, it is important to introduce students to fruits and vegetables through observation and tasting experiences, mainly, but also sowing, planting and harvesting. Having a garden at school can help children become aware of the importance of the food that is grown, but this activity becomes even more interesting when the school garden is twinned with a municipal garden and the boys and girls can meet professional farmers and get closer to the reality of the agricultural world.

 

How do you assess the current state of organic farming production in the Barcelona district? Do you think it is necessary to improve the knowledge that farmers have about the effects that the loss of biodiversity has on food production, to stimulate their enthusiasm when it comes to accelerating the transition towards more sustainable agriculture and achieving more environmentally friendly management? environment?

I think that the organic production of fruits and vegetables should be encouraged and here the Plant Defense Associations (ADV) should play an even more active role. They are the ones who must transmit enthusiasm and encourage the peasantry to reconvert, together with the farmers who already make organic products. But public administrations and legislation and regulations must also play their role well, which must be more energizing than punitive.

It is also important to organize permanent training courses aimed at farmers that allow them to understand agricultural farms as agroecosystems and not only as places to produce food. Furthermore, it would be necessary to bring the peasantry closer to the citizens, to ensure that they are heard and known. Organic production must become popular and this is not an easy goal to achieve. But it is necessary to find the path and follow it.

 

— Lola Mayenco —