Locking and territorial development in the Almanzora Region (Almería)

Abstract

The Almanzora Area (province of Almería) is one of the most important corridors in Southeast Spain. It is a territory marked by problems common to the contemporary Mediterranean rural world, which in recent decades has been prejudiced by a public administration that has undervalued it's obvious potential for the articulation in this part of the Iberian Peninsula, imposing an unexpected isolation and strengthening –internally-, its economic and social disorganization. In this paper we recognize the current state of locking of this area, analyzing the effects and implications of an erratic territorial policy carried out by the competent public authorities. In the light of the values and tools from Planning, we examine the strategic lines that mark the new existing endogenous initiatives and make proposals to promote their efficient integration into a new development model that allows this territory's unlocking in the near future.