Fuerteventura, once the archipelago’s granary, is experiencing a downturn in agriculture production. Nevertheless, agriculture still is an important economic sector as it employs a great proportion of the island’s workforce as well as being the inspiration for many cultural and folkloric traditions.
Fuerteventura produces wheat, barley and corn, which is mostly consumed domestically and used for the elaboration of “gofio” (a typical Canarian flour, made from roasted grain and used in many dishes)
Vegetables such as tomatoes, onions, garlic, potatoes and lucerne are also produced.

Stock farming is quite limited in Fuerteventura. The lack of pasture fields in the island makes it virtually impossible to breed, at least on an industrial scale, other lifestock than goats and dromedaries. These animals adapt themselves very successfully to the hard and dry Majorero climate and there is even an autochthonous goat breed: The “Cabra Majorera” (the Majorera Goat). The Cabra Majorera yields a considerable amount of high quality milk which is used for the elaboration of the Majorero Cheese.
Dromedaries were used as pack animals but nowadays are mostly employed by the tourist industry.

Fishing techniques have not varied much over the years and is still regarded as a traditional activity. Despite the proximity of the Canary-Saharan fish shoal, fishing is not conducted at an industrial scale in Fuerteventura.

Dinamatik. Copyright 2005.