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Barroso: An Ancient Farming Culture in Northern Portugal Becomes a World Heritage

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The main square of Vilarinho Se...hitecture of the Barroso region

1 of 17 © 2024 Andre Vieira

The main square of Vilarinho Seco, one of the oldest villages in the Barroso region. Vilarinho Seco is considered one of the best-preserved example of the traditional architecture of the Barroso region

The Barroso region, in the mountains of northern Portugal, is one of the most isolated and poor in the country. It’s known for its harsh climate, rough terrain, and stunning beauty. Over the centuries its residents developed a complex system of agriculture and cattle ranching that relies on the collective management of the water resources, forests, and the wild pastures used by their animals. In 2018 the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations denominated the Barroso a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS).

Agostinho Gomes, a farmer in Vi...lectively owned by the villages

2 of 17 © 2024 Andre Vieira

Agostinho Gomes, a farmer in Vilarinho Seco, prepares to let his cows outside to graze. Cattle in the Barroso grazes outside all through the year and are never given animal feed. Many of the pasture areas are collectively owned by the villages

Nelson Gomes tends to his cattl...a lithium mine in their village

3 of 17 © 2024 Andre Vieira

Nelson Gomes tends to his cattle at his small property in Covas do Barroso. Gomes’ wife, Aida, is the village’s President of the Baldio, an elected official charged with overseeing and keeping official tabs on the use of the forest areas and water springs exploited collectively by farmers. The couple leads a group of residents in their fight against the construction of a lithium mine in their village

Four families in Vilarinho Seco... practice common in the Barroso

4 of 17 © 2024 Andre Vieira

Four families in Vilarinho Seco pool their labor and equipment to plant potatoes in early spring, a practice common in the Barroso

Paulo Pires holds a newborn dwa...y their traditional way of life

5 of 17 © 2024 Andre Vieira

Paulo Pires holds a newborn dwarf lamb at his barn in Covas do Barroso. Pires property lies less than 500 meters from the site of a planned open-pit lithium mine, which residents fear will destroy their traditional way of life

Paulo Pires watches his son pla...y their traditional way of life

6 of 17 © 2024 Andre Vieira

Paulo Pires watches his son play with his dogs as they watch over their sheep while they graze at a field near his house in Covas do Barroso. Pires property lies less the 500 meters from the site of a planned open-pit lithium mine, which residents fear will destroy their traditional way of life

Elias Coelho (right), chats wit... of cows arrive from the fields

7 of 17 © 2024 Andre Vieira

Elias Coelho (right), chats with a visiting relative of a neighbor and her son in the streets of Vilarinho Seco as a group of cows arrive from the fields

Religious procession prepares t...ve the chapel of Vilarinho Seco

8 of 17 © 2024 Andre Vieira

Religious procession prepares to leave the chapel of Vilarinho Seco

Residents of Vilarinho Seco, si..., like the Celts and the Romans

9 of 17 © 2024 Andre Vieira

Residents of Vilarinho Seco, sing and drink after a religious procession. Catholic celebrations dictate the rhythm of life in the Barroso, with festivals and processions marking every important agriculture cycle. Many ancient catholic traditions remain alive in the Barroso, sometimes incorporating customs from some of the several peoples that roamed the region in the past, like the Celts and the Romans

Portuguese flag flies on a hill...he fields of most local farmers

10 of 17 © 2024 Andre Vieira

Portuguese flag flies on a hill overlooking the village of Covas do Barroso, in the Barroso region of Portugal. The mountains behind the village contain a large lithium vein that the Portuguese government would like to see explored as part of its objective to turn the country into a manufacturing hub for electric car batteries. The planned open-pit mine would be less than 500 meters from the center of the village and would require changing the course of the river that crosses the village, threatening the springs that irrigate the fields of most local farmers

The Barroso mountains with the ...of sun piercing the rain clouds

11 of 17 © 2024 Andre Vieira

The Barroso mountains with the village of Espertina in the distance lit by rays of sun piercing the rain clouds

Maria Emilia da Silva works dou...munity oven in Covas do Barroso

12 of 17 © 2024 Andre Vieira

Maria Emilia da Silva works dough to bake bread for her family at the centuries old village’s community oven in Covas do Barroso

Women cook at an ancient kitche...nd, they are treated to a feast

13 of 17 © 2024 Andre Vieira

Women cook at an ancient kitchen in Covas do Barroso while sausages hang overhead to smoke. Every year, at the beginning of the winter, residents slaughter pigs to make ham and sausages that feed them all through the year. The slaughter is a community event, with neighbors and friends coming to help with the killing and then dismembering of the animals. In the end, they are treated to a feast

Meal time after a pig slaughter...nd, they are treated to a feast

14 of 17 © 2024 Andre Vieira

Meal time after a pig slaughter at the home of Paulo Pires in Covas do Barroso. Every year, at the beginning of the winter, residents of villages in the Barroso slaughter pigs to make ham and sausages that feed them all through the year. The slaughter is a community event, with neighbors and friends coming to help with the killing and then dismembering of the animals. In the end, they are treated to a feast

Carla Pereira serves wine to fr...o feed them throughout the year

15 of 17 © 2024 Andre Vieira

Carla Pereira serves wine to friends and neighbors who came to help her family, the Coelhos, kill three pigs that will become ham and sausages to feed them throughout the year

Elias Coelho (left) serves home...side his home in Vilarinho Seco

16 of 17 © 2024 Andre Vieira

Elias Coelho (left) serves homemade bread to his family and neighbors after they all spent the morning slaughtering pigs outside his home in Vilarinho Seco

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Thumbnail of The main square of Vilarinho Sec_chitecture of the Barroso region

Thumbnail of Agostinho Gomes, a farmer in Vil_llectively owned by the villages

Thumbnail of Nelson Gomes tends to his cattle_ a lithium mine in their village

Thumbnail of Four families in Vilarinho Seco _a practice common in the Barroso

Thumbnail of Paulo Pires holds a newborn dwar_oy their traditional way of life

Thumbnail of Paulo Pires watches his son play_oy their traditional way of life

Thumbnail of Elias Coelho (right), chats with_p of cows arrive from the fields

Thumbnail of Religious procession prepares to_ave the chapel of Vilarinho Seco

Thumbnail of Residents of Vilarinho Seco, sin_t, like the Celts and the Romans

Thumbnail of Portuguese flag flies on a hill _the fields of most local farmers

Thumbnail of The Barroso mountains with the v_ of sun piercing the rain clouds

Thumbnail of Maria Emilia da Silva works doug_mmunity oven in Covas do Barroso

Thumbnail of Women cook at an ancient kitchen_end, they are treated to a feast

Thumbnail of Meal time after a pig slaughter _end, they are treated to a feast

Thumbnail of Carla Pereira serves wine to fri_to feed them throughout the year

Thumbnail of Elias Coelho (left) serves homem_tside his home in Vilarinho Seco

Public Project

Barroso: An Ancient Farming Culture in Northern Portugal Becomes a World Heritage

Copyright Andre Vieira 2024

Updated Apr 2021

Location Boticas, Portugal

Topics Agriculture, Capitalism, Climate Change, Community, Conservation, Documentary, Energy, Energy transition, Environment, Food, Globalization, Green economy, Lifestyle, Lithium, Loss, Photography, Reporting, Technology, World heritage

The Barroso region, in the mountains of northern Portugal, is one of the most isolated and poor in the country. It’s known for its harsh climate, rough terrain, and stunning beauty. Over the centuries its residents developed a complex system of agriculture and cattle ranching that relies on the collective management of the water resources, forests, and the wild pastures used by their animals. It is a method that has kept the soil fertile, rivers and springs clean, the landscape unblemished, and their communitarian cultural traditions alive.
In 2018 the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations denominated the Barroso a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS), which distinguishes areas "characterized by remarkable agrobiodiversity, traditional knowledge, invaluable cultures, and landscapes, sustainably managed by farmers, herders, fisherfolk, and forest people in ways that contribute to their livelihoods and food security”., the second region to receive such designation in Europe.
The title was a morale booster for residents, who saw an opportunity to benefit from the new status by certifying their products as Protected Designation of Origin to highlight the environmentally friendly way in which they are produced. They also saw an opportunity to take advantage of the fact that Portugal became one of the hottest touristic destinations in Europe to promote their region as a prime location for eco-tourism.

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