Impacts of Erosion on the Sustainability of Organic Olive Groves: A Case Study (Estepa Region, Southwestern Spain)

Antonio Alberto Rodríguez Sousa,Samir Sayadi-Gmada,Jesús M Barandica,Carlos Parra-López,Alejandro J Rescia

doi:10.3390/su13147983

Abstract

Spain has more than 2.5 M ha of olive groves, with 60% of this area (i.e., 1.5 M ha) concentrated in the region of Andalusia (Southern Spain). Assuming the socio-ecological characteristics of these crops, of which their contribution to ecosystemic services (ES) is fundamental for society, it is highly relevant to direct their management towards practices that guarantee their durability. Organic management of olive groves constitutes a multifunctional model that contributes to ensuring its sustainability and represents 2.4–3.5% of the olive grove area in Spain. Taking the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) Estepa (Southwestern Spain) as a study model, where organic olive groves are novel, a study of the impacts of erosion on the economic, social, and environmental factors associated with this management was carried out in addition to estimating its impacts. The results showed how organic management promotes edaphic fertility, keeping the levels of diffuse pollution under the legislative limits. Although the increase in erosion has negative effects on the sustainability/durability of agricultural holdings, organic management consolidates a sustainable model that satisfies farmers’ demands. Therefore, organic farming is a model that focuses on the correct use of natural resources associated with the geographical region of study, and contributes to increasing the sustainability of olive groves.

Highlights

Olive farming systems are traditional landscapes linked to Mediterranean climates that have a deep-rooted socio-cultural tradition [1,2]
Olive groves are represented throughout the world, Europe, with 175 million hectares (M ha) of useful agricultural surface (UAS), is the continent with the largest area devoted to this crop, with 5 million hectares (M ha), representing 2.86% of the European agricultural area, according to EUROSTAT and CORINE Land Cover data [3,4]
It is worth highlighting the relevance of olive growing systems in Spain, where the surface area is concentrated in Andalusia (i.e., Southern Spain), with more than 1.50 M ha [5,6,7,8]

Summary

Introduction

Olive farming systems are traditional landscapes linked to Mediterranean climates that have a deep-rooted socio-cultural tradition [1,2]. The socio-economic relevance of these crops is maximised in Southern Europe, with countries, such as Greece, with more than 1 M ha of olive groves, Italy, with an area greater than 1.20 M ha, and Spain, where the area with olive groves exceeds 2.5 M ha [5,6,7] It is worth highlighting the relevance of olive growing systems in Spain, where the surface area is concentrated in Andalusia (i.e., Southern Spain), with more than 1.50 M ha [5,6,7,8]. Sustainability 2021, 13, 7983 monocultures that shape the Andalusian landscape, generating 32% of regional agricultural employment and a contribution to agricultural income of 20% [9] In this sense, following data from the International Olive Council from 2015 [6], it is worth highlighting that Spain is the leading olive oil producing country, with an annual average production level greater than 1.20 tonnes (t) in the 2009–2015 campaigns. Andalusia has an average production of 1.11 t of oil per year, producing 86.38% of the national olive oil in Spain [6,7,8,9,10]

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion