A study published by the European Parliament warns of the “serious danger” in Europe of abandonment of land, which affects one of the main drivers of the economy and is causing the depopulation of the territory in rural areas. The study indicates that nearly 56 million hectares are at risk in Europe of being abandoned and an estimated 5 million of them will indeed be abandoned by 2030. The countries most at risk of this leave are Austria, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Latvia and Romania.

In the case of Spain, about 10% would present a high and very high risk of abandonment, resulting in a loss of about 2.3 million hectares. Historical data indicate that, between 2012 and 2018, the agricultural area in Spain has been reduced, especially in the Valencian Community, Murcia and other regions of the peninsular center (Castilla La Mancha, Castilla y León, Community of Madrid and Basque Country), mainly in favor of artificial surfaces.

To alleviate this phenomenon of abandonment, the factors of which address various causes (biophysics, agricultural, structural, market, regional, institutional and political), the various current agricultural policy instruments are analysed as useful tools to avoid this, especially the second pillar of the CAP, particularly agri-environmental and climate measures and payments to areas with natural constraints or other specific limitations.

It is easy to understand that the aid is fine, but if the crops do not have profitability, the land will continue to be abandoned. It is therefore necessary to establish a number of objectives to ensure the survival of these territories as rural areas are fundamental because they provide food, preserve traditions and provide coexistence that is lost in individual societies. In this sense it is committed to:

– good use of CAP tools.

– the need to balance the food chain so that work and food are fairly remuned;

– improve rural infrastructure to reduce the gaps between the rural and urban worlds.

– make the earth market more flexible.

– protect the production model itself against others from less ethical and sustainable third countries.

The proposal package, organized in ten lines of action, includes improvements in connectivity, taking advantage of digitization for access to environmental services and services and the custody of the territory, as well as very specific active policies in access to housing, mobility, access to modern forms of energy, etc.