The second co-creation workshop of Andalusian Regional Agroforestry Innovation Network (RAIN) was celebrated on 8th February 2024 in Córdoba (Spain) by AGAPA. A total of 18 AKIS actors attended this second RAIN meeting. Fortunately, 9 new members of the RAIN have registered. A total of 40 AKIS actor are members of the RAIN ANDALUCIA.
Mª del Carmen García Moreno, the IB of the Andalusian RAIN, showed the results of the first workshop of the 11 RAINs and of the Andalusian RAIN itself together with some news and inspiration examples.
Among them, the importance of the role played by consumers and the interest of carrying out actions of great impact, such as, for example, the defense by the Sierra Nevada National Park of the animals of a native breed in danger of extinction, the «Pajuna cattle breed», within the framework of the International Tourism Fair FITUR can be highlighted. This, will help the general public appreciate the benefits of agroforestry in the management of protected areas.
On the other hand, the presentation and selection of the representative farms of the different business models aroused great interest, not only on the part of the selected farms, but also on the part of the other proposals that offer numerous innovations that could be considered as materials throughout the project.
The value chains analyzed during the meeting are highly representative of the Andalusian agroforestry sector. The livestock and pasture value chains have a strong weight in the region, occupying extensive mountain agroforestry areas linked to natural areas, many of which are protected. On the other hand, the almond and olive value chains are very representative, as they are two of the main woody crops in Andalusia, both in terms of the number of hectares in which they are grown and the value of the production they represent in the final regional agricultural production. The analysis of the agrotourism value chain is also relevant, as there is currently a clear potential for growth in the Andalusian region, given the current underdevelopment of this sector.
The meeting has allowed a reflection on the training needs and dissemination materials that currently concern the agroforestry sector in Andalusia, the progress in the use of new technologies such as virtual fences, the need to improve the management of pastures and innovation in grazing techniques associated with woody crops. These, among others, have been considered as strategic.
There was a visit to «Las Albaidas» farm, which is a Merino sheep farm under an extensive and transhumant system. With more than 2,000 heads of this native breed, the cattle ranch is the only one of this breed in the capital of the province, Córdoba.
Las Albaidas is located in the foothills of Sierra Morena, in the municipality of Cordoba and occupies several farms from the area around Medina Azahara to the Rabanales University Campus, moving animals between them to make use of pastures. This transhumant management in a peri-urban environment is the main characteristic of this farm.
