It takes hundreds of years to create just one centimeter of fertile soil — but only a few to destroy it. The degradation of drylands has one fundamental cause: us.

“Road to the desert: The Desertification of Spain” is a documentary that explores the multiple causes and far-reaching consequences of the unstoppable advance of desertification in Spain — a process that degrades fertile soils and threatens their ecological balance.

Spain is the driest country in Europe, and 75% of its territory is at risk of desertification. In some regions, the process has reached a critical point, with soils that have lost their natural capacity for regeneration. Despite water scarcity, many areas still depend on water transfers and the overexploitation of aquifers to sustain an unsustainable agricultural model. At the same time, the growth of industrial pig farms has generated a severe environmental impact due to nitrate pollution of soils and aquifers, as well as greenhouse gas emissions.

This documentary examines the impact of climate change, intensive agriculture, and the expansion of industrial pig farming — revealing how these factors are transforming both the landscape and the communities that depend on it.