The MAFAs – Mountain Land Funds – were already in place in some municipalities of the association, but most were limited to managing their mountains. However, the AFPs of Bidarrai, Arrosadía and Makea worked together with an animator. “The capacity of the MAFAs is limited to the management of the mountains. For example, they have no competence to develop the economic part of the crop,” explains Matthew. In the area of around 340 farms, there was a need to create joint tools to respond to the problems of all farmers, and the intention of the partnership is to support them.

For the development of work and the implementation of different projects from the Management Board's reflections, they will have a team animator who will work with farmers and farmers. What are the main common problems or shortcomings of farmers? Farmers in eight localities have been surveyed to identify their main needs. Anne Marie Sabarots, elected from Bidarrai, explained it in the interview of Euskal Irratia: “The first project has been shared work and needs have also emerged around common shopping and trade.”

Weaving links between peasants

The Ensure Gain partnership will drive collective projects. In the case of the above shared work, for example, although each group of farms does not have sufficient capacity to have its own staff, farms have been grouped together to group a worker. “The partnership’s job is to establish a connection and network between farmers,” Sabarots said in Kanaldud. Other examples are the joint purchase of fodder or the establishment of a common processing centre. To this end, they have allied other associations in the return to cultivation, such as the Basque Country Chamber of Agriculture.

On 7 October, the presentation festival of the Arrosan association was held. They had round table, dirty food, games and concert. Once launched, and as Sabarots has clarified, the new society will carry out the work of “chinaurri”.