Andorra Minister Positions Pastoralism as Key to Pyrenean Future
Guillem Casal emphasized extensive livestock farming's role beyond agriculture in maintaining biodiversity, cultural heritage, and environmental balance in Pyrenean mountains. He highlighted Ramaders d’Andorra's support for herders and called for policies ensuring sector sustainability.
Key Points
- Guillem Casal highlights pastoralism's role in preserving landscapes, biodiversity, and Pyrenean culture.
- Extensive livestock farming supports habitat conservation, risk prevention, and mountain heritage.
- Praises Ramaders d’Andorra for boosting local meat production and distribution.
- Calls for sustainability measures to aid generational transitions in farming.
Andorra's Environment, Agriculture and Livestock Minister Guillem Casal has championed pastoralism as a strategic pillar for the Pyrenees' future, underscoring its contributions to landscape preservation, biodiversity, culture and regional identity.
Speaking at the Pyréneo 2026 gathering in Ax-les-Thermes, France, on Wednesday, Casal told representatives from France, Spain and Andorra that extensive livestock farming extends well beyond food production. It supports natural habitat conservation, risk prevention and the upkeep of mountain heritage, he said.
The minister described support for primary producers as essential funding for territorial resilience. Farmers and herders, he noted, safeguard open spaces and bolster collective Pyrenean traditions.
Casal praised Ramaders d’Andorra, SA for strengthening local herders by promoting Andorran meat production and distributing it to butchers, schools and eateries. This model, he argued, adds value to domestic output and secures the sector's viability.
He called for measures to ensure farm sustainability, facilitate generational transitions and elevate primary activities. Protecting pastoralism, Casal concluded, preserves not just economic livelihoods but also the mountains' visual appeal and cultural essence.
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