The initiative is promoted by interprofessional organizations Asici, Avianza, Intercun, Interovic, Interporc and Provacuno.
The agreement states that the municipality of Alcarràs has some livestock farms with one of the largest production in Europe, and this sector is a fundamental economic engine for progress and job creation in the municipality, the Segrià region and the province from Lleida
Alcarràs City Council has joined the Red Municipal Ganadero-Cárnica, a platform with which the interprofessional organizations of the meat chain (Asici, Avianza, Intercun, Interovic, Interporc and Provacuno) want to thank the vital role that municipalities play in facilitate the development of this activity in rural areas.
The Plenary of this Lleida municipality unanimously approved in its last session an institutional declaration in which the City Council positions itself in favor of the meat-livestock chain and in which it is highlighted that «The municipality of Alcarràs has some livestock farms with one of the largest production in Europe, and this sector is a fundamental economic engine for the progress of our community and for the generation of employment in the municipality, the Segrià region and the province of Lerida.
The declaration recalls the municipality’s interest in being part of the Network project because «As ambassadors of the chain, the municipalities will actively participate in the defense of a sector with presence and relevance in the territory; they will be able to promote the dissemination of the work of the livestock farms and meat companies in their area and their interrelation with their counterparts in other localities; they will be able to actively participate in the political conversation, defending the interests of a sector that contributes positively to the economy, society and demography of their territory; they will have a voice through a visible platform before the authorities, they will have institutional visibility and towards public opinion and the business sector».
For all of the above, the Plenary has approved the adhesion to the Network of municipalities for the meat-livestock chain, recognizing the economic, social and demographic relevance of the meat-livestock chain throughout the Spanish territory, with emphasis on the rural world.
The Municipal Livestock-Meat Network, to which Alcarràs has joined, is an initiative that also aspires to become a platform for dialogue between the private and public sectors at the municipal level. The objective is to seek synergies to promote the conditions that have allowed the livestock-meat chain to become the main economic engine of many of the country’s municipalities and cities. The economic and social power of the chain has also allowed its activity to become one of the main backbone elements of Rural Spain. The main reason is the ability of livestock and meat companies to create quality jobs in the municipalities, which allows many residents to continue living in the same towns where they were born and depopulation is mitigated. With the permanence of the inhabitants, other problems related to the decrease in population are also avoided, such as the loss of social services, leisure alternatives, etc.
The importance of the livestock-meat chain in the Spanish economy
The impact of the livestock-meat chain is also significant at the national level, where it contributes nearly 48,000 million euros to the national GDP and generates 672,000 direct jobs. In addition, the activity mobilizes two million associated jobs that fall within a varied selection of activities such as agricultural production for livestock feed and professionals in the veterinary, feed, animal health, logistics and transport sectors and auxiliary industries.
Livestock activity is carried out in more than 350,000 farms throughout the national geography that make a contribution of 16,500 million euros to the Final Agricultural Production, according to data from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. In addition, the Spanish meat industry put a total of 7.7 million tons of meat and 1.5 million tons of processed meat on the market, valued at 31,727 million euros. This production has ensured Spain’s food sovereignty with regard to meat and has also allowed 3.46 million tons of meat and various processed products to be exported to markets around the world. These transactions have reached a value of 9,107 million euros, with a growth of 5% in foreign turnover and in volume with respect to the figures of the previous year. These figures have special strategic relevance at a time when international trade is suffering a sharp decline and where the livestock-meat chain has become a guarantee to maintain a positive balance of payments.
How to be part of the Network
The municipalities that wish to form part of the Municipal Livestock-Meat Network must approve an institutional declaration in favor of the meat-livestock chain at the municipal plenary session and accompany this decision with a communicative action. All the necessary information about the process, the purposes of the Municipal Network and the contact form are available at platform website.
The Municipal Network for the livestock-meat chain intends to be a reflection of the great diversity that exists in Spain. For this reason, it intends that in the medium term among its members there are localities from all geographical areas of the country and that they be governed by political forces of all stripes. The initiative also takes care of demographic representation with the participation of municipalities of all sizes, including those with fewer than 5,000 inhabitants, where the positive impact of the activity is even more notable.