Tiscamanita Revives Its Agrarian System

After an extensive and meticulous coordinated effort by the Cabildo and the Town Hall, their actions combine to restore terraces and dry‑stone walls.

The slopes of Tiscamanita have come back to life thanks to the intensive recovery work carried out in coordination by the Cabildo’s Service of Works and Machinery, the Tuineje Town Hall, and the “Fuerteventura, Beautiful by Nature” programme. Its iconic landscape of stone terraces (gavías) and dry‑stone walls has once again taken root.

“In this case, through the valorisation and conservation of historic structures such as stone terraces and dry‑stone walls—elements of our cultural and environmental heritage and essential resources for water capture.”
— Lola García, President of the Cabildo

The Cabildo reaffirms its commitment to restoring the Majorero territory and landscape, “our greatest treasure.”

Blas Acosta, Councillor for Works and Machinery, explains that combining human and material resources from different institutions—each with specific capabilities—“multiplies the potential” of the actions compared with working in isolation.

“It is moving to see a job well done, especially when that effort stems from collaboration between administrations and the result is so beneficial.”

Agricultural tractors from the Cabildo and the Tuineje Town Hall, together with their crews, have joined forces to repair gullies and prepare the terraces of Tiscamanita for cultivation. Among other tasks, they removed weeds, cleaned and mulched the terraces, and applied manure to the cultivated areas to boost fertility.

In parallel, work crews from the “Fuerteventura, Beautiful by Nature” programme—promoted by the Ministry of Works and Machinery through its own unit, Gestión y Planeamiento Territorial y Medioambiental (Gesplan)—have rebuilt the stone walls, using the same traditional techniques employed in their original construction.

“Caring for and restoring traditional agrarian systems is much more than improving the landscape,” says Blas Acosta. Fuerteventura lacks a vegetative cover that would impede the free flow of water down the slopes, and many areas traditionally used for farming have been abandoned. Preserving the advantages offered by the traditional stone‑terrace (gavías) and chain systems is therefore crucial for maintaining soil fertility.

The stone‑terrace and chain system of Fuerteventura is characterised by low energy consumption and the use of soft technologies. This traditional system effectively combats desertification in arid environments and serves as a model of water management.

Through this joint effort by the Cabildo’s Service of Works and Machinery, the “Fuerteventura, Beautiful by Nature” programme, and the Tuineje Town Hall, the terraces of about twenty local residents who requested the service have been restored and beautified, achieving three main goals:

• Facilitating cultivation on fertile land
• Recharging aquifers
• Restoring Fuerteventura’s distinctive landscapes