Transformations in agriculture, stockbreeding, forestry and fishing within the Spanish agri-food system (1980-2016)

Abstract

This paper examines the evolution of agriculture, stockbreeding, forestry and fishing (ASFF) within the Spanish agri-food system for 1980-2016. It adopts a socio-economic approach based on data from the input-output framework of Spanish National Accounting of the Instituto Nacional de Estadística [National Statistics Institute]. I examine the series on value added, labour and supply for the activities and products involved in the agri-food system, and calculate their intermediate input and use structures in 1980 and 2015. The results show the continuous reductions in the share of ASFF’s value added and labour within the Spanish agri-food system. Moreover, Spanish ASFF increasingly became decoupled from the land, reducing their ‘re-use’ rate and becoming more dependent on external intermediate inputs. Trade services emerged as a major player in the system, a development associated with the country’s growing integration in the global agri-food system and higher rates of salaried labour.