Tenerife has allocated 825,000 euros in 2025 for the enhancement of the Island Forage Plan. The aim is to close the loop from agricultural waste to expanding the area of crops designated for livestock sustenance. The Primary Sector division intends to undertake eleven initiatives during this timeframe to solidify the plan, centred around four primary goals: augment available natural resources; utilise waste and by-products from agriculture and livestock; broaden the forage area; and provide support to Tenerife’s cereal associations.
This budget of 825,000 euros is segmented into six components. Initially, a specific subsidy of 17,000 euros will be allocated to the Tenerife Cereal Association (Acete) for its campaign. Additionally, 250,000 euros will be assigned to the Casa del Cereal in Icod el Alto (Los Realejos), the true granary of the Island. These funds will facilitate forage trials, the cultivation and distribution of native flora, as well as the assessment of bichada potatoes for silage—a forage conservation method involving the lactic fermentation of grass.
A commission is also tasked with the review of livestock feeding self-sufficiency, amounting to 168,294 euros. Furthermore, a total of 248,000 euros will be invested in establishing agroecological methods, with an additional 41,000 euros designated for specific assistance for this endeavour. Finally, support is being advanced for the promotion of fodder crops, encompassing an allocation of 200,000 euros for both potatoes and cereal production.
Monitored Grazing.
There are three essential actions planned for this year, focusing on the initial objective of enhancing the availability of natural resources. Firstly, the diagnosis, proposal, and enactment of an island-wide controlled grazing project will serve as a tool for environmental management. Additionally, the legal regulation of this practice within Tenerife will take place, along with testing improvements in productivity, availability, and management of the Teno Alto grasslands across two sites at La Finca La Siete, owned by the Cabildo.
Self-Sufficient Farms.
The second focus area is harnessing waste and by-products from both agriculture and livestock. To achieve this, the initiative includes an assessment of the utilisation of agricultural waste and by-products for consumption, whether fresh or preserved via the silage technique mentioned earlier. A novel approach will also involve evaluating potential models for self-sufficient farms on the Island, employing biodigestion of their own waste.
Increased Areas.
Expanding the forage area is the third goal. This will be accomplished through agricultural research on forage crops, the provision of subsidies to stimulate production and mechanisation of forage producers, support for zone projects from agricultural extension agencies connected to the Forage Plan, and the cultivation and distribution of local forage plants and seeds.
During the last two campaigns, the distribution of 20,176 forage plants for the sustenance of ruminant farms was significant. Valentín González, the Minister of the Primary Sector, remarks that “this initiative addresses the rising input costs in livestock farming, which could jeopardise the profitability of farms.” Throughout the past two campaigns, the Cabildo of Tenerife has made available 20,176 forage plants to ensure adequate feeding for ruminant farms in Tenerife.
González highlights that “numerous forage species of interest exist in the Canary Islands,” which are particularly important for artisanal cheese producers, as “the quality of the product is intrinsically linked to the distinctive nutritional attributes offered by many of these species.” In light of this, the Primary Sector area initiated the Collection, Production and Distribution Programme aimed at professionals in the sector, featuring four key species of forage: tagasaste, tedera, cornical, and vinaigrette. The distribution of these forage plants is conducted through a collaboration between the Primary Sector division of the Cabildo and the Centre for the Conservation of Agricultural Biodiversity of Tenerife (CCBAT), Agricultural Extension Agencies, the Biodiversity Unit of the Technical Service for Environmental Management tied to the regional institution, and the Canarian Institute of Agrarian Research from the Government of the Canary Islands.
Support for Associations.
The fourth major aspect of the Forage Plan for 2025 encompasses both technical and financial assistance to Tenerife’s cereal associations, such as Acete, which will receive the previously mentioned 17,000 euros this year.
History since 2017 but Initiation in 2023
The technical report from the Primary Sector division, which serves as the basis for this document, outlines the background of the Tenerife Forage Plan. This report commenced development in October 2023, but arose from demands communicated by the sector back in 2017. At that time, there was a call for measures to reduce farms’ reliance on external resources. This issue has significantly worsened in recent years owing to a steep rise in livestock feed costs, influenced by various factors, including the conflict in Ukraine. Consequently, the Island Forage Plan is structured as a tool to implement a series of effective measures aimed at fostering rural development through sustainable, eco-friendly, economically viable, and socially acceptable agro-livestock systems. The specific targets of the Plan, along with their actionable steps, foresee advancements by the year 2025.
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