Regenerative agriculture in Catalonia, layer by layer
Water, soil, plants, animals and people. We read the farm layer by layer and design, with your team, a system it can manage independently: producing bio-inputs, measuring and making decisions. No labels, no promises: autonomy.
Five layers, one system
Water, soil, plants, animals and people influence one another: these are connected layers, not phases of work. Design combines them to suit the site; integrating animals is not compulsory. The connections extend to rivers, deltas and the sea, without cutting off the water that downstream ecosystems need.
- Water Harvesting water Keyline, cover and contour lines so more rain soaks in and less runs off carrying soil.
- Soil Living organic matter Microbiology, minerals and structure: soil is an organism, not a substrate.
- Plants Symbiosis at the root Plants give sugars to fungi and bacteria and get water and minerals back.
- Animals Grazing that fertilises Well-managed animals recycle nutrients and wake the soil up.
- People Knowledge that stays The team learns to make, measure and decide.
- Cover and stubble
- Organic matter
- Roots and microbiology
- Minerals
More than “organic with a new label”
Regenerative agriculture aims to improve how the farm works (organic matter, microbiology, water retention, diversity) rather than just cutting inputs or ticking boxes.
In a Mediterranean climate, the challenge is to do this with drought, tired soils and tight budgets. So we also read what shows above ground: bioindicator plants, insects and pollinators tell you whether energy is flowing or has stalled.
What you see on the farm
Tools we combine for each project
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Living soil and cover
Cover crops, mulch and direct seeding where they fit, to keep the soil covered and with living roots for as long as possible.
Soil -
Water and keyline
Designing the water landscape to infiltrate, hold and spread water where it is needed.
Keyline -
Bio-inputs and biofactory
Bokashi, compost, biochar and biofertilisers from resources on the farm or nearby, when the project calls for it, to depend less on outside inputs.
Biofactory -
Integrated animals
Managed grazing where it fits the farm: species, stocking, rest periods, fencing and water are decided with you for the terrain.
Animals -
Supporting measurement
Lab, Pfeiffer chromatography and field observation, to check what works and adjust.
Method
Behind it all, training and real cases.
Catalan farms already doing it
From La Palma de Cervelló we work with farms in Baix Llobregat, the Ebro Delta and Terra Alta. Here are five of them, by name and place.
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Tugas Pagès
Baix Llobregat (Viladecans) · about 10 ha of vegetables, moving from organic to regenerative: soil regeneration and biodiversity, focused on fertility and independence (community biofactory with Sostenipra and Ecocentral).
See the case -
Vilaeco
Baix Llobregat (Gavà) · about 30 ha of vegetables. Soil regeneration with flower strips, crop residues and fertility work, within its organic production.
See the case -
EcoCastells
Ebro Delta · organic rice without herbicides, 2022-2023. Home-made bokashi on eight farms (5 to 6.7 t/ha) and a small duck unit grazing 1.5 ha of paddy.
See the case -
L’Horta de Carme
Camarles (Baix Ebre), in the Ebro Delta · a family business that switched to organic production in 2005; today it farms 55 ha of vegetables and fruit trees, with its own warehouse and packing room, under CCPAE control. The challenge: go one step further and regenerate the greenhouse soil.
See the case -
Regenerativa Velsam
Arnes (Terra Alta) · about 50 ha of almonds, olives and hazelnuts with rational grazing (Voisin) and holistic management with horses. The work focuses on ground cover, soil fertility and animal management.
See the case
What we don’t promise
We don’t publish yields, guaranteed returns or “carbon guarantees”. Every farm has its own climate, history and economics. We start with a diagnosis: context, bottlenecks and whether it makes sense to go on. Fees are discussed once the work is defined.
Frequently asked questions
What is regenerative agriculture?
An approach that improves how the farm works (organic matter, soil microbiology, the water cycle and diversity) with practices the team can sustain and measure.
How is it different from organic farming?
Organic farming is defined by a list of permitted inputs and an official certification. Regenerative agriculture looks at how the soil, water and biology of the farm evolve. The two can go together.
Where do you work?
We are based in La Palma de Cervelló (Barcelona) and work with farms and projects worldwide. The first step is a diagnosis of your project.
Do you work across Catalonia?
Yes. We are based in La Palma de Cervelló (Baix Llobregat) and work with farms in Baix Llobregat, the Ebro Delta and Terra Alta. Part of the work is done remotely, with visits depending on the project.
Which Catalan farms do you work with?
Tugas Pagès (Viladecans) and Vilaeco (Gavà) in Baix Llobregat; EcoCastells and L’Horta de Carme (Camarles) in the Ebro Delta; and Regenerativa Velsam in Arnes (Terra Alta). You can see them all on the real cases page.
Read next: who we are and our experience · the people on the farm · climate and living soil · animals integrated into the farm · regenerative aquaculture.
A diagnosis of your project
Tell us about your crop, your context and what worries you.