Guest post: Youth in Agriculture – Paula Trakoštanec

La Junquera - regenerative farm in spain

In the southeast of Spain, there are serious problems with desertification due to climate change and the long history of conventional agricultural practices. The soils are degraded, aquifers are overexploited, and there is a significant biodiversity loss. Biodiversity loss is and has been an important aspect of the agricultural system in this area, which is why regenerative agriculture is seen here as an important solution that might contribute to restoration.  Due to these reasons, Alfonso and Yanniek decided to start with regenerative agriculture farming practices 10 years ago. They created a regenerative agriculture farm on 1,100-hectare called La Junquera, which is a part of a larger association of farms in the so-called Altiplano region, a plateau that connects Murcia and Andalusia in Spain. 

Paula Trakoštanec who did her internship at La Junquera 1100 ha regenerative farm in Spain

Today, La Junquera focuses on achieving sustainable production while restoring farmland and natural areas by reducing erosion, improving fertility, increasing water infiltration, and creating conditions to increase biodiversity. Five years ago, they started with the Regeneration Academy, which aims to educate present and future generations in regenerative agriculture. They have designed different programs for doing research, entrepreneurship, ecosystem restoration, and sharing knowledge about regenerative agriculture techniques.

We are six students that are enrolled in Regeneration Academy, from the Netherlands, Croatia, and Australia. In our research projects, we are in part trying to incorporate a constructive vision of ecosystem restoration, as we are asked to help reflect on the future of the farms in this region. Furthermore, we receive practical knowledge from working in the fields where we get an insight into the real-life examples, challenges, and opportunities in this field. We would all agree that the work on the farm inspires us to continue working with agriculture, explore its global food production, and support climate adaptation. This is our story, and this is our effort to make this piece of the world a better place. 

Thank you for reading! 

Paula Trakoštanec
Regeneration Academy,
La Junquera, Murcia, Spain

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