The fight against rural depopulation

• Stabilise the population in rural areas.
• Promote enterprise.
• Create wealth and wellbeing in areas with limited economic activity. In fact, the majority of the orchards are located in small and medium-sized population centres.
• Two of the four Spanish autonomous regions with the largest production area (Castilla-La Mancha and Aragón) form part of the so-called Empty Spain, where depopulation is particularly prevalent.
• This is also the case in Portugal: the 4 sub-regions of Trás-os-Montes, Beira Baja, Bajo Alentejo and Alto Alentejo are among those with the lowest population density, as well as being among the areas with the highest concentration of almond farms.

The sector is thus committed to the land and its landscape values, and actively helps to maintain it by contributing to the biodiversity of the ecosystem.