The Socialist Party of Teguise secured the approval of its motion to revive the traditional cultivation of cochineal in Guatiza and Mala during the ordinary council meeting in September.
The proposal was unanimously supported, including an amendment urging the Cabildo of Lanzarote to allocate employment plans and specific resources for the restoration of the farms associated with this centuries-old crop.
Socialist councillor Jenifer Galán defended the initiative, emphasising that “cochineal is part of our history, landscape, and identity, and we cannot allow it to disappear or let the conditions of many of its farms deteriorate.”
She also warned that the Mexican cochineal plague and the lack of generational change “have put more than 200 years of tradition and a landscape that is emblematic of Lanzarote at risk.”
The Three Key Areas of Focus
The Socialist plan is structured around three key areas: incorporating employment plans for the recovery of farms, allocating specific financial resources to promote and study the sector, and encouraging participatory projects in Guatiza and Mala.
“The recovery of cochineal is not just an economic issue, but also concerns identity, landscape, and sustainability. It is about investing in our history and a characteristic that makes us unique compared to other places,” Galán highlighted.
