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It's official: Council renews partnership with farmers' co-op

Foto accio concertada Cooperativa 2018Earlier today officials formalised a concerted action agreement between the Formentera Council and the local collective of farm workers.

For the fourth straight year the Council and the island's co-operative of farmers have sealed a concerted action agreement whereby the administration pledges to provide the Cooperativa del Camp up to €115,000 in financial support. The farmers' co-op must supply evidence demonstrating that need, which, according to the agreement, will be calculated as the group's earnings less expenditures.

The partnership aims to build on the push to reactivate local agriculture and improve Formentera's rural landscape. The pact also envisions support for other actions to beef up the local agriculture.

At its heart, the programme is about delivering a boost to farming on Formentera, with all the economic, social, cultural and environmental knock-on effects such a boon carries with it.

Background
The current project took shape in April 2015 when the first islanders made land donations to the initiative. The bid went on to win successive renewals in 2016 and 2017. In the three years since its start, the reserve of untilled farmland has continued to grow. Landowners and the farmers' co-op formalise the land grants in contractual agreements, and Cens de Terres today counts 200 hectares in its catalogue of farmed land.

Nearly 85% percent of Cens de Terres plots are actively tilled. Roughly 50% of the land now supports grasses used for fodder and cereals and 38% of the reserve has undergone maintenance like ploughing and weeding.

The remaining parcels are either awaiting some form of action or on track to withdraw.

Harvest increases have been recorded since 2016.

In light of results, the push to reactivate local agriculture and improve Formentera's countryside can be considered a success.