Álava approves 1.5 million in aid for disadvantaged areas and prioritizes women farmers

The Governing Council of Álava has approved the 2026 call for compensatory payments to mountain and disadvantaged areas, endowed with 1,500,000 euros, through Foral Decree 30/2026, of August 4, published in the Official Gazette of the Historical Territory of Álava (BOTHA) number 95, of August 21, 2026 (reference 2026-02458). The regulation also modifies the regulatory bases to prioritize female-owned holdings in the event of pro-rating.

The call is framed within Foral Decree 31/2023, of June 20, which establishes the regulatory bases for aid to areas with natural limitations or other specific limitations in the territory of Álava. The credit is reserved from budget item 40101. G/414400/47900405 “Compensatory indemnities for disadvantaged areas” of the 2026 budget, with effective payment in the 2027 fiscal year, and may be extended up to 100% of the initial amount.

Two lines of aid and premiums per hectare

The call includes two interventions, each with its aid premium in euros per hectare:

• Compensatory payments in mountain areas: 87.91 euros/ha.
• Compensatory payments for other areas with significant natural limitations or disadvantaged areas other than mountain areas: 63.34 euros/ha.

The resources come from the Department of Agriculture of the Provincial Council of Álava and may be co-financed by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) at a percentage of 65%.

Priority for women farmers

The modification expressly incorporates the priority of female ownership in the pro-rating, in line with letter c) of article 15 of Law 8/2015, of October 15, of the Statute of Women Farmers. When the budget item is exhausted, holdings owned by a woman, shared ownership, or a legal entity with at least 50% of shares in the hands of women (if there are two partners) or 40% in other cases, will receive the full amount without pro-rating.

The measure responds to a recommendation from the Internal Audit Service of the Paying Agency of the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country, derived from the audit of the 2024 call, and aligns with the V Foral Plan for Equality between Women and Men in Álava (2022-2026).

Deadline and submission of applications

Applications are integrated into the “single application” provided for in Royal Decree 1048/2022, of December 27, and those submitted from February 1, 2026, until the end of the single application deadline will be taken into consideration. Submission is carried out at the regional agricultural offices of the Department of Agriculture or through the CAP web portal of Euskadi using a digital certificate.

The decree, signed by the General Deputy Ramiro González Vicente, the Provincial Deputy for Agriculture Noemí Aguirre Quintana, and the Director of Agriculture David Fernández Sarabia, enters into force the day following its publication in the BOTHA.

The measure guarantees the sustainability of thousands of Alavese agricultural holdings in mountain and disadvantaged areas, and reinforces the role of women in the primary sector, a group traditionally underrepresented in the ownership of holdings.

Source: Official Gazette of the Historical Territory of Álava (BOTHA), no. 95, August 21, 2026, section I - General Assemblies and Provincial Administration, pág. 1-3 (official reference: 2026-02458).