Aid for the Balearic Countryside to Protect the Traditional Agricultural Landscape

Sustainable tourism tax in the Balearic Islands funds farmers to diversify crops and replant woody plant species

What does it consist of?

Tackling erosion, boosting soil fertility and maintaining the countryside. With these goals in mind, the scheme led by the Balearic Government is offering grants to traditional farms to encourage crop diversification and the replanting of woody trees affected by drought or pests.

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Data

PROJECT TITLE IN THE CALL
Conservation of the agricultural landscape
LOCATION
Mallorca, Minorca, Ibiza, Formentera
Entity submitting the PROJECT
Govern de les Illes Balears
Entity that executes the project
Fons de Garantia Agrària i Pesquera de les Illes Balears (FOGAIBA)
Project code
ITS2019-015
Total project amount
3.647.484 €
ITS granted amount
3.647.484 €
Executed amount
3.586.540 €
Call year
2019
Budget implementation status
Executed
Purpose
Environment
Budget execution
Executed: 98.33%
Last updated
16.11.2022

The project

The stability of Balearic farmlands depends not only on the natural environment, but also on the constant work of those who cultivate it. To support these efforts, the Balearic Government has launched a scheme funded by sustainable tourism tax, aimed at curbing the deterioration of the island's environment and landscape.

The scheme consists of two distinct measures. The first focuses on crop diversification on traditional farms. This financial support targets key environmental services such as agroforestry maintenance, crop rotation, sowing leguminous plants and protecting ground cover that supports water infiltration and prevent erosion.

The second measure provides support for replanting rainfed woody species such as almond, fig, apricot and carob trees, which have been compromised by climate change, long periods of drought and pests. Many farms cannot afford the cost of replacing dead trees on their own, leading to the potential neglect of farmlands and the loss of agricultural biodiversity.

Both measures are governed by the Balearic Islands Agricultural and Fisheries Guarantee Fund (FOGAIBA) and are aimed at farm owners who comply with EU standards. Beyond financial support, the scheme aims to establish a sustainable model of farming, committed to the survival of both soil and farming practices that have shaped the landscape of the islands for generations.