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Rodrigo Mangana is the third generation of a family of livestock farmers from Benaocaz, in the Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park. He has spent his whole life in the countryside and knows just how demanding this line of work is. He carries on because he enjoys it, with the support of a family who understand and embrace his way of life.

On his farm, he rears goats, sheep and cows, with a particular focus on native breeds, such as the Payoya goat and the Grazalema Merino sheep. He wants to help ensure that these breeds continue to thrive in the mountain ranges to which their families have given so much.

He also works to supply his products to local restaurants, selling kid and lamb. He knows exactly what his animals are fed and where they come from, and believes that this care should be reflected in the product. For Rodrigo, selling locally is a way of adding value to livestock farming and ensuring its long-term future.

At the age of seventy, Rodrigo looks to the future with enthusiasm. His livestock farm takes part in ‘Pastoreo Vivo’, a project run by Serranías Vivas that supports the training of future livestock farmers and the handover to the next generation. In his day-to-day work, he mentors an apprentice, sharing the knowledge and experience gained from a lifetime spent in the countryside. He wants to ensure that what his family has built continues, and he remains hopeful that this legacy will extend to a fourth and fifth generation.