28 de September de 2023
The awards were first launched in 2022 as part of a commitment made in the Action Plan for the Development of Organic Production.
- Clara Benito Pacheco owns an extensive organic livestock farm in the Sierra Norte of Madrid (Serrada de la Fuente) called "Entrelobas"
Innovation has been one of the factors that helped Clara Benito Pacheco win recognition for her work, recently honored as "Best Organic Farmer" at the European Union (EU) Organic Awards in this year's edition.
In his project “Entrelobas” (Serrada de la Fuente, Madrid ) Clara owns a herd of 130 goats, each of which has a GPS that allows her to create virtual fences from her mobile phone, saving her the hassle of putting up physical fences to monitor the herd. Thanks to this system, the herd is constantly monitored, giving her more time to dedicate to the goats' other interest: "extensive regenerative management that also allows us to collaborate with the Community of Madrid in fire prevention by maintaining open firebreaks."
Clara explains that her herd also allows her to work with several universities on studies on soil regeneration through livestock farming. “Our goal is to restore this open grassland ecosystem and restore soil biodiversity by preventing the presence of so many flammable bushes that they can cause uncontrolled fires. The motivation is to mitigate the effects of climate change to leave a better future for those who come after us.”
EU Organic Awards 2023
The European Union (EU ) Organic Awards were first launched in 2022 as part of a commitment made in the Action Plan for the Development of Organic Production. The aim is to recognise the excellence of all those involved in the organic sector's production chain: from farmers and ranchers to restaurants, from SMEs to the cities that compete in this sector. Furthermore, organic production is considered a key factor in the EU for achieving the objectives of the European Green Deal , the Farm to Fork Strategy and the Biodiversity Strategy .
In the 2023 edition, the European Commission published the names of the 24 finalists from 11 EU countries in July. Among them were three Spanish projects:
- Clara Benito Pacheco (Entrelobas) (Serrada de la Fuente, Madrid)
Nominated for the best organic farmer category.
- Mikhaylo Haliv (Tomelloso, Ciudad Real, Castile-La Mancha)
Nominated for the best organic farmer category.
- Valle y Vega Agroecological Cooperative - Churriana de la Vega (Granada)
Named in the category of best organic food retailer.
Finally, Clara was the only Spanish finalist to take home the award.
For more information about the Spanish finalists and the EU Organic Awards, click here .
Organic farming in the new CAP
The Common Agricultural Policy Strategic Plan ( CASP ) for the period 2023-2027 allocates €820 million to organic farming, representing a 40% increase compared to the previous period.
On the occasion of these awards ceremonies, coinciding with Organic Farming Day on September 23, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food confirmed Spain's commitment to promoting organic production, with the goal of achieving, in the medium and long term, 25% of agricultural land under organic conditions (currently around 10%). It also highlighted the need to improve training and information throughout the food chain to facilitate the conversion to this food production system and expand its offerings to more consumers.