Agriculture and stock farming

Traditions rooted in the land

For a long time, agriculture and stock farming have been an essential part of the lands of the Segre Rialb Consortium, forming its economic base.

It was partly the rivers, and specifically the River Segre, which conditioned the characteristics of the crops, as the soil around it offered plenty of water, allowing irrigated crops and pasture for livestock. With the construction of the dam, the situation changed and much of the most fertile land of these municipalities was flooded, making it impossible to farm. A clear example of this is Tiurana.

Over the years, the number of farmers living only from agriculture has reduced considerably, as has the number of farms. However, thanks to the mechanisation of agriculture, their size has increased. Agricultural and stock farming activities still maintain a certain level of importance in the economy of the Consortium today.

The predominant agriculture, since time immemorial, has been with dry crops, largely devoted to producing cereals like barley and wheat, although other crops, such as olive and almond trees, should also be mentioned. The cultivation of irrigated crops, such as potatoes, forage crops, alfalfa, turnips and vegetables also continues, although over a smaller area. Only at certain points where dry cultivation used to predominate over irrigation has the use of spray watering reversed the tendency. Here, beans and sweetcorn are now grown, the latter predominating in the market gardens of Ponts, Oliana and Bassella.

The large extent of land considered as forest, an area ready be discovered and enjoyed, should also be highlighted. This is particularly important in the municipality of Baronia de Rialb.

Stock farming has not been directly affected by the construction of the Rialb dam, and pig farms continue to be the most important representative of it. However, sheep and cattle farms in Peramola and Oliana and, to a lesser extent, poultry, are also quite important. In the northern area, some herds of goats, rabbits, horses and dairy farms can also be found.