The Minister of Justice, Local Administration, and Public Function, José Antonio Nieto, has urged the Spanish Government to promote the reform of the Agricultural Employment Promotion Program (PFEA), which has been stalled for three years, to improve and update it, as it was created in the 1980s and the last reform was made over two decades ago.
During a visit to the works carried out by the City Council of Antequera (Málaga) funded by this program – co-financed by the State, the Junta, and the councils – Nieto has advocated for including a training section for the qualification of agricultural workers in activities that generate stable employment and expanding the types of projects to maintenance services of facilities such as schools or assistance for dependent neighbors or other groups.
The Agricultural Employment Promotion Program (PFEA) was created to provide employment to field workers during periods when there are no agricultural campaigns, so they could supplement their wages. According to Nieto, it is necessary to improve the format «by listening to mayors who know the most, attending to people, and aiming to create opportunities for stable employment in rural inland Andalusia and improve municipalities.»
«It probably requires more input in training to provide stable employment to individuals who go through the PFEA and include projects related to care for dependents and groups with special needs or maintenance, for example, of schools that municipalities have to undertake,» he detailed.
The minister highlighted that the PFEA is an example of «collaboration between different administrations with a tremendously useful result, while pointing out that Antequera is one of the Andalusian municipalities «that plans projects the best, utilizes resources, and justifies the use of funds.» In the last call, he emphasized, the municipality of Malaga has initiated ten projects with a total contribution of nearly 2.3 million (334,975.38 euros from the Junta) and has created over 600 jobs and 13,000 workdays.
«For those who know how to use it -» the minister stated – «the program is a boost in providing for individuals in the Special Agricultural Regime, who during part of the year have no opportunity to work in agriculture, and to improve public spaces,» he added. However, he defended the «thorough reform» of the PFEA to include a section on training that allows field workers to achieve more qualified and stable jobs and to broaden the scope of projects that can be requested beyond urban works.
Nieto explained that the Junta of Andalusia is willing to increase its participation in the financing of the PFEA to implement these reforms, although the absence of General State Budgets keeps the state allocation to the program «frozen,» which, as he clarified, determines the community’s and councils’ contributions, «proportional» to that of the SEPE.
In fact, the Regional Commission for the 2025-2026 exercise has recently been held, announcing that the state allocation remains at 194.8 million to cover labor costs. This represents 55% of the program’s funding, while the Junta and councils contribute the remaining 45% to cover materials (at 75% and 25% respectively).
On the other hand, the Mayor of Antequera, Manuel Barón, explained that this year ten projects are being carried out, and in addition to funding from other administrations, the City Council has added 800,000 euros. Specifically, for eight months, six works are being carried out on streets and parks in the municipality, including the refurbishment of the Corazón de María Gardens visited by the minister; three maintenance projects in annexes, and the second phase of the El Mauli sports city.
During the visit, the minister and the mayor were accompanied by the Deputy Minister, Ana Corredera, an Antequera native, and the territorial delegate of Justice, Local Administration, and Public Function, Teresa Pardo.