More than 1,000 take part in calçotada in Barcelona's Plaça Catalunya in support of farming and food sovereignty

Calçotades are a common sight on the streets of Catalonia at this time of year but rarely on the scale seen in Barcelona's Plaça Catalunya on Sunday. 

Over 1,000 people took part in the mass communal lunch of over 18,000 calçots – a type of long, green onion – to raise awareness of food sovereignty. 

Organized by Let's Ruralize - Voices for Food Sovereignty, the event in the center of Barcelona included around forty farmers' market stalls. 

"The city must stop turning its back on the countryside. In the context of a climate and water emergency, it's time we in the city take responsibility for where our food is produced and support farming," said Laia Serra, spokesperson for the organizers and for Ecologists in Action. 

The organization believes the remaining pockets of agricultural land surrounding the Catalan capital – in Baix Llobregat, Maresme and Vallès counties – need to be protected. 

The say food sovereignty goes hand in hand with opposition to macro-projects such as the Penedès Agroparc, in an area south of Barcelona that is home to a protected species of eagle. 

"The macro-projects that destroy agricultural land make it impossible for us to feed ourselves with local products," Serra said. 

Ametller Origen, the upmarket food retailer behind Penedès Agroparc describes it however as a "new model of sustainable and circular agri-food production."  

Barcelona "uninhabitable in 10 years" 

As far as Barcelona city is concerned, Let's Ruralize - Voices for Food Sovereignty calls for "fewer cars and much more greenery, managed by residents." 

"We have a problem, Barcelona does not produce any food and, on the other hand, consumes a lot. Farmers are disappearing and without food based on farming, Barcelona will cease to be habitable in 10 years," said Xavier Montagut, a spokesperson for the platform.