Aina Canyelles, president of the Associació de Ramaders d’Ovella Roja Mallorquina, warns of the lack of generational change, the extra cost of insularity, and the administrative hurdles that suffocate farmers on the island.
The farmer Aina Canyelles, president of the Associació de Ramaders d’Ovella Roja Mallorquina, has expressed her concern about the situation of the primary sector on the island. "Farmers feel cornered," she states, referring to the increasing bureaucracy and the difficulties in accessing land.
Canyelles, who grazes her flock of native ‘Ovella roja mallorquina’ sheep on farms in Lloseta, Campanet, and Santa Maria, was recently honoured by the Consorci Serra de Tramuntana on the occasion of the 15th anniversary of the region's declaration as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, in recognition of her work in defending the breed and conserving the landscape.
The farmer denounces that the high price of land makes it difficult for young people to enter the field. "Recently, 250,000 euros were asked for a farm of barely half a quarter (3,551 m2); this must be added to the extra cost of insularity and the lack of work-life balance, because if you have animals, you must always be attentive," she explains.
Another recurring complaint is the administrative burden. "I have four apps on my phone to keep track of all the data we are required to register, but it is unfair for older people or those who have difficulties with technology," Canyelles points out. "If every 15 days they photograph our fields with satellites, the administration knows better than we do what we are doing on the farms," she adds.
Despite the difficulties, the Associació de Ramaders d’Ovella Roja Mallorquina already has around a hundred farming families, a number that has grown in the last three years thanks to promotion at fairs and on social media. The association works to preserve one of the native animal breeds remaining in Mallorca, all of which are at risk of extinction due to the lack of profitability in the sector.
Canyelles also collaborates at the national level with the Platform for Extensive Livestock Farming and Pastoralism and with Ganaderas en Red. In her farm, alongside her partner, they have opted to diversify production to survive: "We have a bit of everything: sheep, cows, goats, and horses, and if necessary, we make firewood, carry out forest clean-ups, or clear gardens," she details.
The farmer advocates that the commitment to native breeds and organic farming is the most appropriate path, a lesson she learned from her parents, who left their professions to dedicate themselves to farming. For Canyelles, the survival of farming in Mallorca depends on two pillars: economic, social, and environmental sustainability, conditioned by insularity, climate change, and human pressure (rural housing, cars, solar panels on rustic land); and work-life balance, whose absence drives away young people.
The situation of the primary sector in Mallorca is critical. The lack of generational change, the rising cost of land, and increasing bureaucracy threaten the continuity of an activity that is key to maintaining the landscape and biodiversity of the island. Canyelles calls for urgent measures to facilitate access to land and simplify administrative procedures, especially for small farmers.
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