There May Be No Secrets In Small Towns, But There Are No Strangers Either

Correct, R.A. Mathis, and it is not a bad thing. Isn’t that the core meaning of living in societies? To see all as a whole instead of alienating others. It has been historically proven that working together and uniting forces is how we make real progress.

After completing the course of Introduction to Traditional and Organic Beekeeping, through the Foro de Formación y Ediciones, we cemented our love for bees (learn how it started), and as a company, we nourish values that are the foundation of our purpose. There are four landmarks we would like to achieve through bee-friendly garden design, and they are:

1. To increase the occupation of native and essential, pollen-rich flowers, shrubs, edibles, and trees that bloom throughout the seasons (even winter) to assist pollinators, especially bees.

2. To support beekeepers in their efforts to supply consistently high-quality food to the native Iberian Honey Bee throughout the year, and hopefully, curb migratory beekeeping. There are also over 1,000 wild and solitary bees that struggle to find enough food sources, and they would benefit as well.

3. To boost agricultural initiatives and settlement in municipalities that are struggling due to depopulation. Through transferring pollen, bees fertilise crops, leading to better yields, size, and quality for fruits, nuts, vegetables, and seeds, contributing billions in value to Spain, but more importantly, increasing food stability.

4. Support the Spanish government in spreading information about the unique advantages of the rural lifestyle when moving to areas that have wonderful potential for a healthy, balanced work life, especially for families. These communities are a gold mine of opportunities once you get involved with their society. We are ecstatic about the Spanish government creating opportunities to live in municipalities that are still paramount to Spain. I find it reassuring that if you are eligible, you can build a beautiful life while being part of a greater plan. A superb plan where everybody wins, including the bees. This is one of the reasons we are establishing our business in a low-populated municipality, to be able to back these initiatives by building mini habitats or food stations for bees.

Some facts behind our four landmarks that inspire us to dedicate our lives to pollinators on a daily basis are:

We are ecstatic about the Spanish government creating opportunities to live in municipalities that are still paramount to Spain. I find it reassuring that if you are eligible, you can build a beautiful life while being part of a greater plan. A superb plan where everybody wins, including the bees.

This is one of the reasons we are establishing our business in a low-populated municipality, to be able to back these initiatives by building mini habitats or food stations for bees.

Some facts that inspire us to dedicate our lives to such sweet creatures are:

1.  According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), nearly 75% of food crops depend on pollination. In 2014, Greenpeace estimated that pollination services had an economic value of €2.4 billion for Spanish agriculture. Now, the same organisation estimates that 37% of bee populations in Europe are in decline. These three facts together demonstrate how paramount bees are to our survival and, in turn, explain why much more than just honey is at risk. Our lives are at stake, but especially the livelihood of your children and grandchildren. 

2. Rural depopulation mainly affects the smallest municipalities, as 5,620 municipalities in Spain have lost population in the last decade, out of the approximately 6,820 municipalities with fewer than 5,000 inhabitants (almost 82%), according to 2022 data from the National Institute of Statistics (INE). This is a concerning fact, and it impacts agriculture and food security. The fewer people there are around, the less labour there is to work the land. Spain ranks as the largest organic producer by area in the European Union and sixth worldwide, according to the latest study on the characterisation and projection of organic production in 2023, prepared by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

According to these data, organic production reached 4.94 million tons in 2023, representing a 47.9% increase compared to the previous year. This figure translates into a value of 5.962 billion euros, a growth of 77.92% compared to 2022, which consolidates this model as strategic and sustainable. Part of this revenue goes to improving Spain’s way of life, and we can’t afford to lose it.

I don’t think it is a coincidence that Spain has the greatest bee population. The way I see it, we owe it in great part to their daily efforts. 

3. Since 2018, in EU regions like Germany, urban beekeeping has emerged as an alternative to ensure honey production. This practice involves raising bees and producing honey within cities or metropolitan areas, typically on rooftops, terraces, courtyards, parks, or community gardens. However, this isn't possible in Spain. The Iberian honeybee isn't so docile, which is why you can’t keep it near residential areas. As a result, Spanish regulations—both national and regional—require that hives be located at a minimum distance from homes, roads, and public thoroughfares (usually between 100 and 400 meters, depending on the autonomous community). Even if I had wanted to farm bees on my terrace, my dream was not possible.

4. Professional beekeepers need migratory beekeeping because, in the long run, the cost of moving is less than the cost of losing their hives. With the arrival of warmer weather (up to 40 degrees Fahrenheit in 2025), many beekeepers choose to move to the north of the Iberian Peninsula not only to keep their hives alive, but also to take advantage of their increased productivity; ideally, they would not have to, and the surrounding area would provide enough food throughout the year. Even if beekeepers can move their colonies around, what happens to the rest of the wild and solitary bees? They need food sources when they don’t hibernate (depending on their life cycles).

Some of the initiatives to fund  and combat the depopulation and transform the territory are:

1. The Ministry for Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge (MITECO) subsidies for innovative projects aimed at curbing depopulation and promoting territorial transformation in Spain.

The territorial scope for these projects includes municipalities with fewer than 5,000 inhabitants, those with up to 20,000 inhabitants and low population density when the actions are concentrated in small communities, and non-urban functional areas with a combined population of fewer than 15,000 inhabitants.

The grant award process will be conducted through a competitive bidding process, guaranteeing equal opportunities and efficient management. Since 2022, more than 600 individuals and entities have benefited from this funding, which aims to promote sustainable development and territorial cohesion.

You can find more information here, and keep in mind that even if the process might be closed for now, they open it every year! Usually in December.

2. The State Housing Access Plan 2022-2025 has been created, as outlined in Royal Decree 42/2022 of January 18, which includes direct aid for the purchase of a home for people under 35 years of age in municipalities with fewer than 10,000 inhabitants.

The aid consists of a subsidy of up to €10,800, limited to 20% of the purchase price, for these young adults who buy a home in these municipalities.

In addition, the property must be the applicant's primary and permanent residence for at least five years, the price must not exceed €120,000, and the household income must not exceed three times the IPREM (Public Income Indicator).

According to the aforementioned Royal Decree, among other requirements that each autonomous community will impose, applicants must have an annual income that does not exceed €24,318. Furthermore, they must have a home purchase contract in a small municipality, dated after January 1, 2022. After applying for this aid, and if it is granted, the applicant will have three months to provide the public deed of ownership or the private purchase contract.

You can find information about financial assistance for people up to 35 years of age to buy a home by pressing here, and once you land on the website, press right click on your mouse or mouse pad and choose 'translate to English'. Don't forget, even if you are not eligible for these incentives now, it doesn't mean you will never be.

Good luck!

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Native plants against depopulation.