Old world welcomes New World settlers

Agriculture in Jaen is facing a manpower shortage

The small village of Carboneros nestles amid the olive groves of Jaen Province in southern Spain. It is an idyllic spot, but its 700 locals are facing a problem - the population is disappearing.

More than half of Carboneros' inhabitants are over 70 years old. The streets are empty save for the occasional passer-by.

"All the young people are leaving for the big towns, of course," one man told Spanish television.

It's a good life here, with the work. It's a very quiet life

Elderly resident of Carboneros

But now the villagers have come up with a way of reversing the exodus - they are offering homes and jobs to Ecuadorian immigrants.

"People who come, married couples who come will all come with their work contract and their job assured", said the village mayor, Domingo Bonillo.

"They would be married couples aged between 20 and 30, preferably with a maximum of two children."

In return the Ecuadorians will be provided with accommodation in fully furnished and decorated homes.

The rent will be nominal, and in time they will have the option of buying the properties.

They will also be guaranteed jobs - mainly in the surrounding countryside where the manpower shortage is hitting hard.

Over half the village's inhabitants are over 70

"It's a good life here, with the work. It's a very quiet life," one elderly resident said.

According to the Madrid daily El Pais, the aim of the project - dubbed Colonos (Settlers) - is to meet the needs of both the rural community and the immigrants.

It echoes the 18th Century initiative by King Charles III to "colonise" the Spanish countryside with migrants from Central Europe.

Ecuadorians were thought best suited to the rural ways of Carboneros due to the similarity of their culture, language and customs, the paper added.

Fresh life

The project has already received 4m pesetas (about $21,400) in funding from the Andalusian regional government, but the council aims to raise 10 times that figure.

And the phones are already buzzing.

"We're saturated with calls. We can't deal with anything else", said a secretary at the village hall.

The very day after Spanish TV first reported the offer, the first hopefuls began to arrive.

Without a second thought, Grey Gallego and Sofia Pico drove down from Madrid. The mayor was the first to welcome them.

Grey has one son in Spain and one in Ecuador

"I want to stay here", said Grey, who is thinking of bringing his son over from Ecuador

"We're looking for a stable job, not just for two or three months." said Sofia.

The hope is that the new locals will give fresh life to Carboneros and put it back on the map.