The next step is for our demands to be made real. We need to define what a small artisanal farmer is and to give these farmers more flexible legal tools so they are able to survive. We hope that the voices of the artisanal fishers and local farmers and their demands do not fall on deaf ears. The Basque Government has been challenged to create an Artisanal Decree. The Basque Administration has recognised the cultural, social and sustainable values of artisanal agriculture and the necessity of facing the situation of these artisanal farmers. The platforms Euro-Toques and Slow Food, will continue their work promoting this area.

During these months continual signs of support have been given by anonymous people, committed consumers or farmers worried by an uncertain future, and also by internationally well known chefs, like Mr. René Redzepi, Mr. David Chang, Mr. Joan Roca, Mr. Ferran Adrià, Mr. Juan Mari Arzak or Mr. Pedro Subijana among others. They believe that local sustainable and artisanal products have an added value.

Which is the main preoccupation for these local farmers? There is an unanimous answer. The Legal barrier, the lack of demand, the costs of implementing new procedures, the lack of knowledge of sales options, and finally the complexity of the associated technology and the small size of the farmers turnover.

The farmers demand more flexible legislation concerning sanitary matters and new sanitary authorisations that make the artisanal agriculture viable.  Finally, Public awareness-raising campaigns and Institutional support for local products. The current legislation is focussed on  farmers with huge turnovers and the industry in general.

What solutions are there? Perhaps, a common legislation for large industry, medium or small artisanal farmers but with specific recommendations for the small sized artisanal group and a more flexible interpretation of the legislation. Perhaps a special quality logo indicating that artisanal products comply with the minimum sanitary required conditions. Perhaps specific controls for local products.

The reality is that consumers are giving more and more importance to healthy and natural products. Products that have their origin clearly marked and are respectful to the environment.

It is time to move on.

 Food sovereignty is defined as the right that people have to organise and provide for themselves in a sustainable and ecological way, prioritizing local economies. It locates producers, distributors and consumers at the heart of food systems and food politics, above the demands of markets and the industry in general.

In Gipuzkoa, the government aims to favour agricultural policies that give flexibility to current legislation, which currently favors large producers, and the industry and generally causes difficulties to small farmers. The director of Agriculture and Rural development, Mr. Koldo Lizarralde, advocates a cooperation between the Basque Government and the three Provincial Councils to achieve a new legal framework for the small farmer with a global approach that involves production, elaboration and sales. That is why it also requires a definition of what constitutes a small producer, and who it is applicable to. For example, specialists from the Provincial Councils went to Iparralde to see “in situ”, what French legislators do about it, as France has long permitted legal exemption for artisanal producers. Spain did not contemplate exemptions and that is why it has damaged artisanal production in Euskadi, causing a huge loss of potential among small producers. It is not easy working in a diversified market with no specific laws that cover your economic output level.

Food sovereignty focuses on local and national markets, empowers farmers and family agriculture, small scale fishing, traditional pasturing and it locates food production, distribution and consumption at the base of sustainable environment, and social and economic society. It also promotes transparent trade that guarantees decent incomes and the rights of consumers to control their own feeding and nutrition. An important statistic is that in the Basque Country, 7% of the products consumed are local, and the rest come from outside the Basque Country.

Mr. Lizarralde considers that it is vital to promote a more flexible legislation for small farmers, and work on the current ways and means of selling. The Consumer Association concept, where the client is committed to a weekly or a monthly basket of fresh produce, is a formula that is expanding among the population. However these traditional channels to market are not sufficient for the sales necessary to guarantee artisanal production. New channels of commercialisation are needed to be found. It is as important to know which product should be produced as it is to know how to sell it, who to sell it to, and how to reach out to those consumers.