Expansion of irrigation, institutional regulation and sustainability on the traditional huertas of Mediterranean Spain

Authors

  • Samuel Garrido

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ihe.2011.08.017

Keywords:

Water, Spain, Irrigation communities, Common-pool resources, N53, N54, O43, Q25

Abstract

For centuries, in the irrigated areas (huertas) of Mediterranean Spain that were administered by irrigation communities something apparently irrational frequently occurred, i.e. although irrigation a was necessary condition for the practice of intensive farming, at first sight many huertas were smaller than they should have been, given the amount of water that was available. The aim of this paper is to find a logical explanation to account for this situation. It is shown how obstructing the growth of the irrigated area was a defence mechanism against the highly irregular volumes of water carried by the rivers. The paper also analyses why those obstacles were not always capable of preventing the huertas from expanding – sometimes excessively.

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How to Cite

Garrido, S. (2019). Expansion of irrigation, institutional regulation and sustainability on the traditional huertas of Mediterranean Spain. Investigaciones De Historia Económica, 8(2), 94–103. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ihe.2011.08.017

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Section

ARTICLES