On the island of El Hierro they look for a way to find them solutions that allow them to restore and promote the cultivation of fig and almond trees Therefore, information based on previous experiences of the Canary Islands Government with other similar productions is appreciated.
One of the points addressed was the need to work on the selection of those traditional varieties and others, which, although new, could be more productive and better able to withstand local conditionsall with an emphasis on genetic improvement and the profitability of agricultural activities in mind.
Restoration of the fig and almond trees in El Hierro
The Department for Ecological Transition and Energy of the Government of the Canary Islands, led by Mariano H. Zapata, will develop a strategic plan for the recovery and development of fig and almond trees on the island of El Hierro, two emblematic agroforestry species from the interior of El Hierro, while protecting the forest-city interface from the risk of forest fires.
This was announced by Hernández Zapata, to move this plan forwardof 79,715 euros in investments managed by Ecological Transition, will also have the cooperation of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food Sovereignty of the Government of the Canary Islands, headed by Narvay Quintero.
He also stated that they will work closely with the Council of El Hierro, chaired by Alpidio Armas, and the Association of Fig and Almond Producers ‘Vérote’, with whom they have held a first coordination meeting to informing and collecting the first contributions for the preparation of this planthat is entrusted to the listed company GMR Canarias.
Councilor Zapata explained about this project that “it is a comprehensive plan that aims to make sustainable use of the territory while generating wealth through the recovery of agroforestry species characteristic of the island’s interior.” Moreover, as he noted, “we have made it clear from the Government of the Canary Islands that we are committed to these initiatives, which not only preserving the biodiversity of our mountains or agroforestry diversity, but also provide important protection to the urban centers near these tree masses.”
Furthermore, Councilor Zapata explained that “the drastic decrease in precipitation due to climate change “It’s leading many of these trees to a dramatic situation, which has caused an alarming mortality rate. That’s why we started finding solutions.” In this sense, he recalled the success of the ‘Agroforestales La Palma’ project, where “some products have already been launched with the cultivated palm kernel as the main ingredient, the model of which we will now try to replicate in El Hierro.”
The Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food Sovereignty, Narvay Quintero, for his part, stated that the commitment to encourage the production of these crops of great tradition on the island “also includes support in the search for marketing channels that allow their development of an economic activity that makes this possible making the agricultural sector dignified with sufficient returns from an economic and social point of view.”
In this way, the Head of Agriculture pointed out that the aim of this initiative, which comes from the island’s producers, is “to return to convert these into economic reference sources for local consumers and focuses on its distribution potential on other islands or regions.”
The President of the Municipal Council of El Hierro, Alpidio Armas, thanked the Ministry of Ecological Transition and Energy for “the determined commitment to the recovery of these traditional crops of El Hierro, deeply linked to the identity of all residents of El Hierro”, ensuring that its restoration also “entails the preservation of our rural landscape as the main natural attraction that enhances our status as a biosphere reserve.”
“From the institutions, we must propose transversal initiatives, such as the one we are starting to work on today protect our natural spaces while diversifying the island’s economic activity and reactivating the productive fabric of the primary sector,” emphasized the leader from El Hierro.
Protecting forests and promoting sustainable agriculture
This first strategic plan is anchored in three fundamental transversal axes where agricultural and agroforestry problems converge: characterization and diagnosis of the main affected areas as a result of the abandonment of crops, the implementation of an improvement plan or guide to good practices in the agronomic management of the affected plots and the improvement of the products generated from various actions aimed at the fig and almond trees of the island of El Hierro . .
The way of Addressing this strategic plan starts with that initial characterization, analyzing the current situation of the sector, identifying all stakeholders and carrying out an initial diagnosis of the crops. In the same way, this project will involve the participation of producers, associations and experts, through the organization of participatory conferences, from which some ideas will emerge that will allow the promotion of a final document agreed with the sector.
Before the coordination meeting between the institutional representatives of the Government of the Canary Islands, the Cabildo of El Hierro and the Association ‘Vérote’, a field visit was made to one of the most emblematic areas of the forest-urban interface of the municipality of El Pinar. In particular the Hoya de Gallegos, where this cultivation takes place two agroforestry species so relevant to the southern interior of the island: fig trees and almond trees.
During this visit we had the opportunity to verify reality and make first contact with it These two emblematic crops of the island are currently sufferingwhich had so much relevance in the recent past.