The Odena Basin Agrarian Park (PACO) has taken a decisive step towards revitalizing unused cultivation fields with its integration into the Land Banks Network of the Barcelona Provincial Council. This accession, led by Pilar Queralt, president of PACO and mayor of Jorba, reaffirms Anoia's commitment to sustainable agriculture, food security, and landscape conservation, all contributing to the prevention of forest fires.

The initiative was born from an assembly on November 28, 2023, where the creation of a land bank dedicated to the management of abandoned properties was proposed. Since then, key actions have been taken to consolidate this vision and improve the use of agricultural resources in the area.

During a working session held yesterday, the action plan to implement this ambitious project was outlined. With the support of technical staff from the Anoia Regional Council and the Land Banks Network, objectives and guidelines were established for the effective management of unused plots. Among the actions agreed upon during the meeting, meetings with the municipalities that are part of PACO to share data from the inventory of recoverable lands in their municipalities stand out. In addition, informative sessions will be held with the aim of informing landowners and encouraging their participation in the initiative.

With the accession to the Network, PACO opens up a range of opportunities for currently unused properties, establishing a shared vision for the future with the Barcelona Provincial Council and the various municipalities and stakeholders in the area. With 188 hectares available and a potential of 2,847 hectares to be recovered, PACO emerges as a reference in the management of agricultural resources in the province of Barcelona. These data demonstrate the ambition of the agricultural area to transform abandoned plots into productive areas and increase local food production.

About the Odena Basin Agrarian Park

The Odena Basin Agrarian Park, promoted by the Barcelona Provincial Council, is a fundamental space for agricultural and livestock activity in Anoia. Formed by 15 municipalities with a population of 83,527 people, PACO has 34,741 hectares for crops and pastures, representing 33% of the agricultural land managed in the nine agricultural areas of the province.

The park is also integrated by the Anoia Regional Council, the Commerce and Restaurant Association, the Producers Association, and the Tourism Promotion Agents Association of the Conca d’Òdena. In addition, the Eixarcolant Collective plays a fundamental role, providing technical and human support in the recovery of traditional agricultural varieties and edible wild species.

In total, the Barcelona regions have nine managed agricultural areas, six of which have been created with the support of the Barcelona Provincial Council: the Lower Llobregat Agrarian Park, the Montserrat Rural Park, the Lower Tordera Agrarian Space, the Five Senies-Mata-Valldeix Agrarian Space and the Catalan Pre-Pyrenees Rural Park.

For more information about the land banks included in the Land Banks Network, please contact Pere Navarro, engineer at the Agrarian Territorial Directorate of the Barcelona Provincial Council.

— BCN Smart Rural Editorial —