Evolution of Farming Systems in the Mediterranean High Mountain: The Case of the Alpujarra Alta (Spain)

Javier Calatrava,Samir Sayadi

doi:10.3390/su11030704

Abstract

In mountainous Mediterranean areas, even at high elevations, the landscapes are generally strongly transformed by humans. Agriculture is a key factor in this because, until very recent times, farming has been the main occupation of its inhabitants and has dominated their history and culture. This study examines the evolution of agroecosystems in the Alpujarra Alta (a set of mountain valleys and ravines, located in south-eastern Spain, within the Penibetic Range), from the Neolithic revolution and the Roman period until the present emphasizing the eight centuries under Muslim rule and the serious agrarian crisis induced by the expulsion of the Moorish from the area in the last third of the 16th century. This provoked profound transformations leading to the so-called “evolved farming system” in the early nineteenth century. This system continued until the middle of the twentieth century, when a massive rural exodus, prompted by the industrialization of the country, made farming unfeasible, triggering a phase of gradual system degradation. Finally, the current situation is discussed, resulting from the degradation of the established system as well as from new opportunities arising from the processes of endogenous local development induced in the area during the last quarter of a century.

Highlights

Knowledge of the structure and possibilities of agrarian systems is key to endogenous rural development processes in general, and in mountain regions
In Mediterranean mountain areas, farming systems have adapted to the recent rural exodus caused by the difficulty of mechanizing and modernizing farms, especially those on steep slopes with erosion and a harsh climate
These mountain farming systems have great territorial importance in countries such as Spain, where the harshest areas are occupied by them, these usually being the most difficult to be integrated into rural development processes

Summary

Introduction

Knowledge of the structure and possibilities of agrarian systems is key to endogenous rural development processes in general, and in mountain regions. In Mediterranean mountain areas, farming systems have adapted to the recent rural exodus caused by the difficulty of mechanizing and modernizing farms, especially those on steep slopes with erosion and a harsh climate. These mountain farming systems have great territorial importance in countries such as Spain, where the harshest areas are occupied by them, these usually being the most difficult to be integrated into rural development processes. To determine their current situation and prospects is worth to analyse the history behind their current situation. GGlloobbaall ffiigguurreess aanndd ssttaattiissttiiccaall iinnffoorrmmaattiioonn hhaavvee bbeeeenn ppuurrppoosseellyy oommiitttteedd iinn oorrddeerr ttoo ssiimmpplliiffyy tthhee pprreesseennttaattiioonn aanndd ffooccuuss oonn tthhee cchhaarraacctteerriizzaattiioonn ooff tthhee hhiissttoorriiccaall ssttaaggeess iinn tthhee etaetahhvgvgeeororaalalaururffiitootaaiirornoneennmsmsyyooeesfsfnntttetetthhimimoeoen,n,sssesyeyododssmmttweweememooffir..riknknAAsasab,b,llupupccnoaonardnrndttsasiaicicinndduutteellsarsartartaraaltltytiytiioiossiinntntnisiscc[[aoao77lnl,n,11dd2t2teheh,,t22teaea11iipp–l–lsso22o3cs3scos]]so.i.innbbAAcicilelfefiitrttrteeniinereriisnsnddgaageennssttdchcdhrreeipipbbaeaeiigrngrnsrsgrgpaparetrethihcicaateteninivvhhseseiiyysssssttsooototeferfrmimittcchhaaeaeallrraaaaeegsgsaparprivveieccacacuutitilslllstaatuoubobrflrfleeeetthhoioinneeff tthhee aarreeaa iinn tthhee ttwweennttyy--ffiirrsstt cceennttuurryy,, hhaavvee bbeeeenn pprreesseenntteedd

The Beginnings of the Alpujarra Alta Agrarian System

The Decisive Arab Influence

The Impact That the Expulsion of the Moriscos Exerted on the Agrarian System

The Evolved Agrarian System

Findings

The Agrarian System in the Twenty-First Century