Galician Model Villages. An innovative tool for effective development of the rural areas.

Galicia, with 2.7 million people and 29,574 km², faces challenges in its rural and agricultural sector. Agriculture contributes 4.7% to GDP and employs over 15,000 workers. Yet, only 621,000 hectares are in production, while 500,000 are abandoned or underused. Galicia has 11 million rural plots and 1.6 million owners, leading to fragmented land ownership and difficulty optimizing agricultural land.
The initiative seeks to address rural abandonment and its consequences by focusing on land recovery. It also aims to promote agro-livestock activities, creating economic opportunities linked to the primary sector, and reducing the risk of forest fires through the use and maintenance of these lands.
The implementation of the practice involves voluntary participation from landowners. Owners commit their lands for a minimum period of 10 years while maintaining ownership, and the lands are leased through the Land Bank, focusing on maintaining and recovering agricultural infrastructure.
The main stakeholders of the practice are landowners, who benefit from the opportunity to lease their lands and earn income while maintaining ownership. Farmers and livestock farmers gain access to land for agro-livestock activities. Local communities benefit from economic revitalization and a reduced risk of fire in their surroundings. The environment is positively impacted as the practice contributes to landscape and biodiversity conservation by preventing land abandonment and degradation.