Ancient Trade Revived: African Migrants Propel Spain's Neglected Shepherding Industry
As rural areas face depopulation and labor shortages, migrant workers from Africa and beyond are being trained to take on traditional roles in Spanish agriculture.
In the quiet village of Los Cortijos, nestled in Spain’s arid Castile-La Mancha region, a resurgence is under way.
The ancient practice of shepherding has found new life through the hands of African migrants and other newcomers, tackling a labor shortage that has long plagued rural communities.
This transformation reflects broader trends as Spain seeks to breathe life into its dwindling countryside.
The challenge facing farms like Álvaro Esteban’s is not unique.
Across central Spain, there are hundreds of villages struggling with depopulation, where jobs such as shepherding have been difficult to fill due to a lack of interest among the local population.
As a result, these positions have fallen vacant, forcing traditional farming families like the Estebans to either abandon their lands or seek innovative solutions.
Enter programs aimed at integrating recent migrants with age-old agricultural tasks.
In Toledo, home to one of several shepherding schools established in response to this labor gap, nearly two dozen aspiring shepherds from countries including Sudan, Ghana, and Venezuela recently completed a crash course in the fundamentals of managing sheep flocks.
This training is designed to equip them not just with technical skills but also legal authorization to work within Spain’s agricultural sector.
For individuals such as Osam Abdulmumen, 25, who herds 400 sheep on Esteban’s farm, these opportunities represent more than just a means of survival; they embody hope.
Coming from Sudan and driven by the need to support his family—whom he hasn’t seen in years—Abdulmumen’s journey exemplifies the complex motivations behind this influx of migrant workers.
The government-backed program has already seen over 460 participants since its inception in 2022, with approximately half of those graduating now employed as shepherds.
This initiative not only addresses immediate labor shortages but also aims to preserve traditional farming methods within a rapidly changing rural landscape.
Esteban’s farm, like many others in the region, faces an uncertain future without young blood and fresh perspectives.
His own personal journey from leaving Los Cortijos to studying history and later returning home after realizing the potential of his family’s land reflects the broader sentiment among younger generations about the countryside's future.
This shift towards a more diverse workforce has far-reaching implications, not only for sustaining Spain’s agricultural prowess but also for revitalizing rural communities.
By training and integrating these new arrivals into traditional roles, there is hope that these areas will avoid further decline and perhaps even see new growth and vitality in the face of an evolving job market.
While challenges remain—particularly concerning the emotional toll on individuals who have left behind families and homes—this movement highlights both the resilience of Spain’s rural heartland and its capacity for adaptation.
Through this unique blend of old trade knowledge and new global connections, the future of Spanish agriculture is being redefined.
The ancient practice of shepherding has found new life through the hands of African migrants and other newcomers, tackling a labor shortage that has long plagued rural communities.
This transformation reflects broader trends as Spain seeks to breathe life into its dwindling countryside.
The challenge facing farms like Álvaro Esteban’s is not unique.
Across central Spain, there are hundreds of villages struggling with depopulation, where jobs such as shepherding have been difficult to fill due to a lack of interest among the local population.
As a result, these positions have fallen vacant, forcing traditional farming families like the Estebans to either abandon their lands or seek innovative solutions.
Enter programs aimed at integrating recent migrants with age-old agricultural tasks.
In Toledo, home to one of several shepherding schools established in response to this labor gap, nearly two dozen aspiring shepherds from countries including Sudan, Ghana, and Venezuela recently completed a crash course in the fundamentals of managing sheep flocks.
This training is designed to equip them not just with technical skills but also legal authorization to work within Spain’s agricultural sector.
For individuals such as Osam Abdulmumen, 25, who herds 400 sheep on Esteban’s farm, these opportunities represent more than just a means of survival; they embody hope.
Coming from Sudan and driven by the need to support his family—whom he hasn’t seen in years—Abdulmumen’s journey exemplifies the complex motivations behind this influx of migrant workers.
The government-backed program has already seen over 460 participants since its inception in 2022, with approximately half of those graduating now employed as shepherds.
This initiative not only addresses immediate labor shortages but also aims to preserve traditional farming methods within a rapidly changing rural landscape.
Esteban’s farm, like many others in the region, faces an uncertain future without young blood and fresh perspectives.
His own personal journey from leaving Los Cortijos to studying history and later returning home after realizing the potential of his family’s land reflects the broader sentiment among younger generations about the countryside's future.
This shift towards a more diverse workforce has far-reaching implications, not only for sustaining Spain’s agricultural prowess but also for revitalizing rural communities.
By training and integrating these new arrivals into traditional roles, there is hope that these areas will avoid further decline and perhaps even see new growth and vitality in the face of an evolving job market.
While challenges remain—particularly concerning the emotional toll on individuals who have left behind families and homes—this movement highlights both the resilience of Spain’s rural heartland and its capacity for adaptation.
Through this unique blend of old trade knowledge and new global connections, the future of Spanish agriculture is being redefined.
