Sayago - Economy

Economy

The geography had play an important role in the characteristics of the county economy. Because of its isolation, only saved by the “Puente Pino” (bridge linking with Aliste county through the canyon) and the two reservoirs of Miranda and Bemposta, that link by road Sayago with Portugal, the development possibilities had been so weak.

Farming has been an important activity, but the landscape (specially the common granite outcrops) set important difficulties to concentrate the lands of each owner in one (technique called Flurbereinigung), reducing the opportunities to be competitive in agriculture. The dispersion of the properties has to be found in the inheritance methods, dividing the plots between the heirs of eact owner. As the population has decreased and young people expect going to cities and don’t want to be farmers, the purpose was abandoned during the last years. This conditions make difficult the development of agriculture, so these kind of land uses have not go far from subsistence agriculture. Market gardens are supported by the local inhabitants to provide themselves of fresh vegetables and fruits.

Husbandry is easier to handle in this landscape context, specially cattle and sheep farming. Cheese, milk and meat are elaborated in some villages by the farmers. Indeed, Sayaguese veal is considered as a great meat alongside Alistane veal. In the recent years, pork farming has become an incipient activity that could be interesting, as the vegetation of the zone is really similar to the main pork Spanish areas that produce the so famous Jamón ibérico or Iberian ham.

Domestic life keeps lots of characteristics from the subsistence economy, as happens in the majority of the rural areas of Spain. In Sayago this is even a stronger phenomenon than in other counties, again because the geographical isolation that historically delays every forward from the urban areas. For example, running water is a relatively new service, there’s no gas pipelines supplying the area (people have to use electrical heaters) or the Internet has been really difficult to introduce. It’s also common not to have mobile coverage except in some elevated areas.

Under these conditions, it’s really hard to be an entrepreneur. Despite of this, a lot of rural tourism accommodations have been established in the recent years, taking advantage of the stretch of that kind of tourism. Sayago offers a really nice landscape that it’s really appreciate by the urban people, consolidated after the declaration of the Parque Natural Arribes del Duero, a natural reserve that protects the Duero river canyons. Alongside these accommodations, few restaurants, traditional food or craft shops have opened. This has relieved a little bit the important problem of depopulation.