I am 17 years old and have a dream: to set up a farm in Lanzarote and dedicate myself to the countryside. But what should be a path full of hope has become an endless journey through the institutions, where no one has been able to give me a clear answer.
I called the Cabildo of Lanzarote and they sent me to the Agricultural Farm. From the Agricultural Farm I was referred to the Teguise City Council. From the Teguise City Council to the Agroindustrial Complex. And from the Agroindustrial Complex, back again to the City Council. Like this, again and again.
I have to say that in all the places I was treated with respect, but in all of them I heard the same thing: “this is not our responsibility, go to ……….”.
Meanwhile, politicians fill headlines saying that they support young people, that they are committed to generational change in the countryside, that the primary sector must be promoted. But when a young person like me takes the step and asks for guidance, all they find is bureaucracy, lack of information and a huge void.
The primary sector in the Canary Islands –agriculture, livestock and fishing– has been in decline for years. In Lanzarote we see more and more abandoned land and an uncertain future for fishing. But what hurts the most is that those of us who want to keep these traditions alive and bet on them do not find real support.
They tell us that we have to look to the future, but what future do we have if we let the countryside and the sea die? If a 17-year-old, with the hope of continuing to study and at the same time follow in the footsteps of his ancestors, only receives procedures and excuses, the message is clear: there is no place for us in our own land.
I don't want to live on the memory of my grandparents, I want to rescue what they taught us: the effort, the love for the land and the value of what we are. But to do so we need more than beautiful speeches: we need clear information, real support and accompaniment.
If we forget the primary sector, we not only lose jobs: we lose our identity. And I don't want Lanzarote to be an island without roots.
