Line of action:

Terrestrial ecosystems

Status:

En ejecución

Location:

Albacete, Badajoz, Burgos, Cáceres, Ciudad Real, Córdoba, Granada, Huelva, Huesca, Toledo, Valladolid, Zamora and Zaragoza

Geographic scope:

España

Execution date:

2022

Duration:

04/07/2022-31/12/2025

Typology:

Agriculture / agroecological transition

Total budget:

2,537,048.00 euros

Amount of aid from the Biodiversity Foundation:

€2,000,000.00 (78.83%)

Coordinating entity:

Spanish Ornithological Society (SEO/BirdLife)

Extensive rainfed agricultural systems are seriously threatened, both by their intensification towards more productive models and by the abandonment of agricultural activity and their occupation by other uses (especially energy infrastructures). Between 1990 and 2013, the rainfed area decreased by 21.5%. Its lack of profitability is its main weakness and reason for transformation. Both intensification and agricultural abandonment lead to a loss of biodiversity (30% of birds have disappeared in the last 20 years) and of climate-regulating ecosystem services (the current food system generates 29% of emissions and consumes 80% of fresh water); and multiple challenges to maintain the population and cultural heritage in balance and cohesion between rural and urban territories (>80% of the population lives in cities).

Secanos vivos aims to contribute to the implementation of the European Biodiversity and Farm to Fork Strategies, through a profitable ecological transition with a future for extensive rainfed cereal and vineyard agroecosystems at risk of disappearing and with threatened biodiversity, but with transformative potential to provide multiple positive externalities to society. To this end, it will implement sustainable production models (based on science and technology) and innovate in the development of a value chain based on biodiversity and resilience to climate change.

Within the framework of the project, stewardship agreements will be signed with owners of rainfed crop plots, where action plans will be implemented to increase biodiversity and ecosystem services, as well as resilience to climate change; technical teams and farmers will be trained and product profitability and commercial plans will be developed, developing the “Secanos Vivos” seal, all accompanied by training and training actions for the promotion of sustainable tourism and agrotourism, the development of proposals for the reform of the CAP 2023 and the preparation of recommendations to the agri-food sector.

It is expected to work on 30 plots (20 for cereals and 10 for vines), covering 500 ha, where increases in biodiversity and climate resilience indicators are expected to be accounted for. It is expected that at least 17 plots and 8 industries will be certified with the Secanos Vivos seal, promoting productive diversification (20 products and/or services will be designed to market, 5 new businesses and 10 new economic initiatives linked to the farms) and reducing, by up to 25%, the plots with a negative net margin. The project also plans to create 12 jobs, develop training actions that will reach 1,000 people, organize 25 ornithological mini-marathons, accelerate 30 ventures linked to the values and objectives of the project, and develop 6 workshops on the CAP to formulate up to 12 proposals for improvement.