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 spoke at Pyréneo 2026 in Ax-les-Thermes, France, calling pastoralism essential for mountain territories.
- Extensive livestock farming preserves landscapes, biodiversity, culture, and territorial identity.
- Ramaders d’Andorra, SA unites herders, promotes local meat in schools and restaurants.
- Policies needed for farm viability, generational handover, and primary production resilience.
Andorra's Environment, Agriculture and Livestock Minister Guillem Casal positioned pastoralism as a strategic activity essential to the future of mountain territories during his address at Pyréneo 2026 in Ax-les-Thermes, France.
The event, held on Wednesday, gathers institutional representatives, professionals and economic actors from France, Spain and Andorra to address challenges in Pyrenean regions. Casal argued that extensive livestock farming delivers far more than agricultural output, playing a critical role in preserving landscapes, biodiversity, culture and territorial identity while supporting natural environment management and balance.
He framed aid for the primary sector as an investment in territorial resilience, pointing to farmers' and herders' contributions in protecting natural areas, mitigating risks and upholding a collective mountain heritage.
Casal spotlighted Ramaders d’Andorra, SA as a vital mechanism for bolstering the sector. The organization unites local herders, boosts value for domestic production and channels high-quality Andorran meat to butchers, school cafeterias and restaurants. This approach, he said, enhances herders' efforts and underpins the sector's long-term strength.
The minister urged policies to secure farm viability, encourage generational handover and prioritize primary production. Safeguarding pastoralism, he concluded, also protects mountain identity, scenery and living standards, according to government sources.
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