In Saint-André in the Pyrénées-Orientales, the mayor has a solution to curb violent fires in the future. He offers farmers the opportunity to come and cultivate wasteland, banking on the goodwill of the owners.
Everyone in Saint-André still remembers the terrible fire of last August. 400 hectares went up in smoke, a population evacuated and firefighters injured.
Two months later, the town decided to take the bull by the horns for next summer. Mayor Samuel Moli suggests that owners of unused land make them available or sell them to farmers.
“During the fire of August 14, the wastelands burned devastatingly. We want to replace all this land with crops, because agriculture serves as a barrier to fires,” advances Samuel Moli. For several days, the town hall has been working on the task, more than 1,000 letters have been sent to owners of unused land.
During the fire of August 14, the wastelands burned devastatingly
Samuel Moli, Mayor of Saint-André
Bernard Margail is one of them. This owner of a one-hectare plot of land agreed to lend it entirely to the town hall, attracted by the idea: “It is true that the moors bring nothing, except an increased risk of fire during the summer. It seemed normal to me to offer my land for an agricultural project”he explains.
Bernard Margail (left) agreed to lend his land to the mayor, a farmer should soon develop it. • © FTV
This initiative allows, according to the mayor, another benefit, the food independence of the territory: “ Food sovereignty requires the development of agriculture. We must encourage farmers to take over our many wastelands.”
One stone, two birds for years to come.
Written with Marie Boscher.
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