How a community-based initiative is dealing with a drying landscape in South-East Spain – AlVelAl - How to achieve sustainable food production for increased profit and well-being

AlVelAl is located in Southern Spain, roughly in between the cities of Granada and Murcia. The AlVelAl- territory covers parts of the autonomous communities of Andalusia and Murcia, which each have several provinces and comarcas -the local denomination for districts. The name AlVelAl relates to the first letters of the comarcas where the initiative started: Altiplano de Granada, Los Vélez and Alto ALmanzora. More recently the comarcas of Guadix and Noroeste de Murcia were added to the landscape.

Today, the AlVelAl territory covers more than 1,000,000 hectares of degraded steppe called the Altiplano Estepario. The Altiplano Estepario is surrounded by mountain ranges which form part of the natural parks of Sierra de Castril, Sierra Nevada and the Sierra María-Los Vélez. The towns of Guadix, Baza, Cullar, Huéscar, Caravaca and Vélez Rubio are the largest out of 76 municipalities with in total some 250,000 inhabitants. The highway A-92, running from Puerto Lumbreras to Granada and onwards runs through the middle of the territory.

https://earthmind.org/vca/alvelal

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With optimism and determination, the voices of Santiaga, Alfonso, Loly and other Alvelal entrepreneurs show us practical and realistic solutions to combat the devastating desertification and loss of life that affects so many rural areas around the world.

Soil restoration, water harvesting and crop diversification merge with inspiring initiatives such as living sculptures and international festivals to motivate positive change in a landscape spanning more than 1 million hectares.

https://en.headheartandhands.site/blank

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The concepts underlying regenerative agriculture including soil restoration, water harvesting, the relationship between biodiversity and a resilient economy, and the revitalization of rural communities.
/ Presenta los conceptos básicos de la agricultura regenerativa, incluyendo la restauración de suelos, la cosecha de agua, la relación entre biodiversidad y economía y la revitalización de las comunidades rurales.

Highlights the importance of soil restoration to prevent erosion, increase crop productivity and as a tool to combat climate change. Presents soil restoration techniques such as regenerative compost, green cover, and water harvesting techniques.
/ Destaca la importancia de la restauración de suelos para prevenir la erosion, aumentar la productividad de los cultivos y como herramienta de lucha frente al cambio climático. Presenta técnicas de restauración de suelos como son la elaboración de compost regenerativo, la cubierta vegetal y la cosecha de agua.

Establishes the connection between a diversified landscape and a resilient rural economy. It covers concepts such as crop diversification, the creation of regenerative businesses and the importance of having a landscape vision.
/ Establece la conexión entre un paisaje diversificado y una economía rural resiliente. Cubre conceptos como la diversificación de cultivos agrícolas, la creación de negocios regenerativos y la importancia de tener una visión que valore el paisaje en su conjunto.

Tackles the challenges of rural abandonment and the lack of inter-generational continuity. It proposes inspiration, collective creativity and celebration as important avenues to keep alive the sense of community. /
Expone los desafíos del abandono rural y la falta de relevo generacional. Propone la inspiración, la creatividad colectiva y la celebración como avenidas importantes para mantener vivo el sentido de comunidad.