From grains to berries: causes and consequences of crop portfolio changes in four mountain agroecosystems in the Iberian Peninsula

In the face of ongoing crop homogenization, preserving crop diversity is crucial for maximizing ecological interactions and reducing the risk of total crop failure. This study focuses on remote European mountain agroecosystems, where significant crop diversity reservoirs still exist. Existing literature identifies market forces, policies, and climate change as key factors influencing crop portfolios. However, limited research exists on the cultural factors shaping these portfolios and multidimensional analyses of their composition and drivers in Europe. This study aims to address this gap by examining crop portfolio changes in the Iberian Peninsula’s remote mountain agroecosystems and analyzing the factors driving these changes. Through 75 in-depth interviews in four field sites, the study reveals a shift from pulses and cereal grains to berries and fruiting vegetables, while certain crop groups like brassicas, stone/pome fruits, bulb vegetables, and roots/tubers remained stable. Various factors drive these trends, including shifts in food habits, socio-cultural preferences, changes in livelihoods, and alterations in market access. Additionally, changing rainfall and temperature patterns, affecting crop growth suitability in specific regions, play a significant role. Understanding these factors is vital for reinforcing diversified crop portfolios beneficial for both farmers and the environment. Moreover, the study underscores the consequences of ongoing crop diversity trends in Europe, emphasizing the urgent need for crop diversity conservation efforts and agroecological approaches to farming.