Anyone on La Palma who has lost their home or farm due to the volcanic eruption should find it easier to rebuild from Thursday onwards. The Canary Islands government has adopted new regulations to this end. Those affected will be allowed to repair their houses and farms under expanded conditions or relocate them to another site; destroyed banana plantations may be sold to new buyers who will resume cultivation there. This marks a change in the rules governing the reconstruction of agriculture on the island.
The eruption began on 19 September 2021 and lasted for 85 days. Lava from the volcanic eruption on La Palma covered more than 1,200 hectares. Homes and roads were destroyed or damaged, but the banana and avocado plantations in the Valle de Aridane were hit the hardest.
Previous regulations already permitted the temporary rehousing of those affected and the construction of new homes. The new decree-law addresses issues that had arisen in relation to compensation and applications for housing and agricultural holdings. For residents of the future protected area around the Tajogaite volcano, Decree-Law 1/2022 now applies until 31 December 2030.
La Palma: Buyers take over the rights to destroyed banana plantations
If a producer is not required to rebuild their destroyed farm themselves, they may sell it to other producers. These producers must resume production and, in return, are granted the farm’s rights and reference quantities. The purchaser may receive agricultural aid under the POSEI programme for a maximum of two years, whilst the restored farm must remain in production for at least five years.
If a new plot already has its own reference quantity, the producer must choose between the two quantities; they must not add them together. They must notify the relevant Canary Islands authority of their decision before work begins. If they fail to do so, the quantity applicable to the plot affected by the volcano shall apply. The rules for farms outside the lava flow are to apply in future to farms situated on the lava that lie outside the previous scope of application.
La Palma: Residents of prefabricated homes move into permanent accommodation
Families who had been housed in prefabricated homes following the eruption may move into regular homes, provided they continue to meet the eligibility criteria. The decree also provides for financial compensation, the amount of which is based on the purchase price of plots of land within the lava flow that are suitable for reconstruction. The first volcano compensation payments of more than 10.2 million euros had previously been made from a fund totalling more than 100 million euros.
The relevant ministry may adjust the reconstruction zones to take account of the lava flow; in the case of agricultural land, this is the responsibility of the Ministry of Agriculture. Both ministries base their decisions on reports from the Island Council of La Palma. The decree is dated Monday and bears the signatures of the Head of Government, Fernando Clavijo, and the Minister of Agriculture, Alejandro Narvay Quintero. The full text can be found in the Official Gazette of the Canary Islands.
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