Sant Julià de Lòria Fully Assigns 24 Social Allotment Plots to Seniors for Organic Gardening

Sant Julià de Lòria parish council distributed keys to all 24 social allotment plots on Wednesday, fully assigning them to local seniors for vegetable growing. Seven new participants joined the programme this year alongside experienced gardeners.

Eva Ramos, the social affairs councillor, highlighted the mix of newcomers and long-term users, noting their enthusiasm for cultivating plots. The initiative, running for 17 years with land provided by Reig Fundació, continues to see strong demand. Maria Creus Ribas, the foundation's chairwoman, traced its origins to her grandfather, who brought the idea from Catalonia. She praised the effective parish partnerships and expressed hope for its long-term success.

The plots help retirees remain active and valued, fostering personal growth and community ties. Ramos recounted visiting beginners who, after two or three years, tend thriving gardens with evident pride. Participants share skills, build friendships, involve families, connect with neighbours and collaborate—fulfilling the project's core goals, as Creus Ribas emphasised.

A key rule bans pesticides, prompting gardeners to create natural remedies. Ramos pointed to innovative methods, such as drying and crushing eggshells to protect lettuce from slugs, with tips exchanged to keep practices fully organic.

Similar initiatives thrive elsewhere in Andorra. In Escaldes-Engordany, 19 plots at the 25th annual Sucarana allotments were raffled Thursday among 16 retirees (including two still working), the Addictive Behaviours Unit (UCA), mental health services and, as a new intergenerational feature, a young person with multiple sclerosis. Cònsol menor Quim Dolsa thanked collaborator Xavier Espot Miró and stressed the social value of such spaces for land work and coexistence. Councillor Maria Carriço encouraged enjoyment and good harvests.

Andorra la Vella launched its "Horts i Gent Gran" season with around 50 plots at Margineda and Borda de Sales, accepting 45 and six applications respectively from 54 received. Partnered with Fundació Julià Reig since 2007, it emphasises healthy leisure and agricultural heritage, with Borda de Sales promoting intergenerational links between seniors and local schools. Upgrades at Margineda include a new toilet, storage shed and planned shaded rest area to boost wellbeing and interaction.