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Olive groves: ``The life and identity of the Mediterranean''

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  • Angeliki Loumou
  • Christina Giourga

Abstract

Olive tree cultivation in theMediterranean goes back to ancient times. Evensince the Roman Age, olive cultivation spreadto the entire Mediterranean basin. Thislongevous tree integrates and identifieseconomically, socially, and culturally theinhabitants of this basin and determines itsrural landscape. For the residents of theMediterranean, olive oil constituted the mainsource of nutritional fats, their most valuableexport product, and was identified with theirculture. Even now, olive cultivation has amultiple importance for the Mediterranean. Theolive groves, which grow mostly on inclined,shallow, and low fertility soils, and onhand-made stone terraces, have limited wateringrequirements and sustain the fragile naturalresources of the Mediterranean. Today,olive cultivation in the Mediterranean is anadditional income source and supports thepopulation in rural areas during the winterperiod, which profit from summer and seatourism activity. Although anagro-ecosystem, the olive grove resembles thenatural Mediterranean ecosystem and abandonmenttransforms them into natural Mediterranean typeforests. Their change of use from olivecultivation to pasture degrades the ecosystemand decreases the natural resources, because ofover-grazing. At this time, two major factorsthreaten the traditional olive cultivation (i)the competition of the intensive olive grovesin plain and irrigated areas and (ii) thecheaper seed-oils, which intensify theabandonment of traditional olive groves andchange them into pasture, resulting in thedeterioration of the ecosystem. Olivecultivation has left its mark on life in theMediterranean and has contributed to thesustainability of natural resources.Nevertheless, it succumbs under the pressure ofcurrent socioeconomic situations. Today, theconservation of olives in productionconstitutes a necessity for the fragileMediterranean ecosystems and a challenge foreverybody involved. Copyright Kluwer Academic Publishers 2003

Suggested Citation

  • Angeliki Loumou & Christina Giourga, 2003. "Olive groves: ``The life and identity of the Mediterranean''," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 20(1), pages 87-95, March.
  • Handle: RePEc:spr:agrhuv:v:20:y:2003:i:1:p:87-95
    DOI: 10.1023/A:1022444005336
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    Cited by:

    1. Rosario Schicchi & Claudia Speciale & Filippo Amato & Giuseppe Bazan & Giuseppe Di Noto & Pasquale Marino & Pippo Ricciardo & Anna Geraci, 2021. "The Monumental Olive Trees as Biocultural Heritage of Mediterranean Landscapes: The Case Study of Sicily," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-17, June.
    2. Ferreira, Jessica & Fernandes, Paula Odete, 2023. "The Application of Sustainable Practices in Tourism: The Case of Olive-growing in the Region of Trás-os-Montes," Journal of Tourism, Sustainability and Well-being, Cinturs - Research Centre for Tourism, Sustainability and Well-being, University of Algarve, vol. 11(3), pages 148-158.
    3. Luis Gomes & Tânia Nobre & Adélia Sousa & Fernando Rei & Nuno Guiomar, 2020. "Hyperspectral Reflectance as a Basis to Discriminate Olive Varieties—A Tool for Sustainable Crop Management," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-21, April.
    4. Marco Tregua & Anna D’Auria & Carla Marano-Marcolini, 2018. "Oleotourism: Local Actors for Local Tourism Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-20, May.
    5. Antonio Alberto Rodríguez Sousa & Carlos Parra-López & Samir Sayadi-Gmada & Jesús M. Barandica & Alejandro J. Rescia, 2020. "Evaluation of the Objectives and Concerns of Farmers to Apply Different Agricultural Managements in Olive Groves: The Case of Estepa Region (Southern, Spain)," Land, MDPI, vol. 9(10), pages 1-21, October.
    6. Ashkan Shokrian & Qiaorui Si & Peng Wang, 2022. "Evaluation of three-phase centrifugal separator machine (Tricanter) for olive oil extraction," Czech Journal of Food Sciences, Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences, vol. 40(3), pages 221-228.
    7. José A. Gómez & Lizardo Reyna-Bowen & Pilar Fernández Rebollo & María-Auxiliadora Soriano, 2022. "Comparison of Soil Organic Carbon Stocks Evolution in Two Olive Orchards with Different Planting Systems in Southern Spain," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-15, March.
    8. Ana Nieto Masot & Gema Cárdenas Alonso & Luis Manuel Costa Moreno, 2019. "Principal Component Analysis of the LEADER Approach (2007–2013) in South Western Europe (Extremadura and Alentejo)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(15), pages 1-15, July.
    9. Maselli, Fabio & Chiesi, Marta & Brilli, Lorenzo & Moriondo, Marco, 2012. "Simulation of olive fruit yield in Tuscany through the integration of remote sensing and ground data," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 244(C), pages 1-12.
    10. Muhammad Usman Ali & Zulqarnain & Muhammad Saad Jamil & Muhammad Akif ur Rehman & Muhammad Abdur Rehman & Zahid Hussain Shah & Hameed Alsamadany, 2019. "Metabolic and Biochemical Profiling of Phenolic Compound and their Biosynthesis in Oil Crops," Biomedical Journal of Scientific & Technical Research, Biomedical Research Network+, LLC, vol. 18(3), pages 13652-13661, May.
    11. Arriaza Balmón, Manuel & Guzman, Jose R. & Nekhay, Olexandr & Gomez-Limon, Jose Antonio, 2005. "Marginality and Restoration of Olive Plantations in Andalusia," 2005 International Congress, August 23-27, 2005, Copenhagen, Denmark 24603, European Association of Agricultural Economists.
    12. Rotem Zelingher & Andrea Ghermandi & Enrica Cian & Malcolm Mistry & Iddo Kan, 2019. "Economic Impacts of Climate Change on Vegetative Agriculture Markets in Israel," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 74(2), pages 679-696, October.
    13. Antonio Alberto Rodríguez Sousa & Jesús M. Barandica & Alejandro Rescia, 2019. "Ecological and Economic Sustainability in Olive Groves with Different Irrigation Management and Levels of Erosion: A Case Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(17), pages 1-20, August.
    14. Olexandr Nekhay & Manuel Arriaza, 2016. "How Attractive Is Upland Olive Groves Landscape? Application of the Analytic Hierarchy Process and GIS in Southern Spain," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(11), pages 1-16, November.
    15. Filippo Gambella & Leonardo Bianchini & Massimo Cecchini & Gianluca Egidi & Agostino Ferrara & Luca Salvati & Andrea Colantoni & Donato Morea, 2021. "Moving toward the north? The spatial shift of olive groves in Italy," Agricultural Economics, Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences, vol. 67(4), pages 129-135.
    16. Torres-Miralles, M. & Grammatikopoulou, I. & Rescia, A.J., 2017. "Employing contingent and inferred valuation methods to evaluate the conservation of olive groves and associated ecosystem services in Andalusia (Spain)," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 26(PA), pages 258-269.
    17. Fernando J. Garrigos-Simon & Yeamduan Narangajavana-Kaosiri & Ismael Lengua-Lengua, 2018. "Tourism and Sustainability: A Bibliometric and Visualization Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(6), pages 1-23, June.
    18. Sabine Gennai-Schott & Tiziana Sabbatini & Davide Rizzo & Elisa Marraccini, 2020. "Who Remains When Professional Farmers Give up? Some Insights on Hobby Farming in an Olive Groves-Oriented Terraced Mediterranean Area," Land, MDPI, vol. 9(5), pages 1-21, May.
    19. Zoran Šikić & Šime Marcelić & Karolina Brkić Bubola & Maja Jukić Špika & Ana Gašparović Pinto & Marko Zorica & Šimun Kolega & Igor Pasković & Anja Novoselić & Dora Klisović & Tomislav Kos, 2023. "Modulation of the Irrigation Practices in Croatia for More Sustainable Olive Growing," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-28, September.
    20. Maurizio Marchi & Carlotta Ferrara & Rita Biasi & Rosanna Salvia & Luca Salvati, 2018. "Agro-Forest Management and Soil Degradation in Mediterranean Environments: Towards a Strategy for Sustainable Land Use in Vineyard and Olive Cropland," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(7), pages 1-8, July.
    21. Mili, Samir, 2006. "Market dynamics and policy reforms in the EU olive oil industry: An exploratory assessment," 98th Seminar, June 29-July 2, 2006, Chania, Crete, Greece 10099, European Association of Agricultural Economists.
    22. Manthos, Georgios & Zagklis, Dimitris & Papavasileiou, Vasiliki & Gkountou, Nektaria Anastasia & Saita, Zinovia & Zafiri, Constantina & Kornaros, Michael, 2023. "High-rate upflow anaerobic sludge blanket bioreactor for the treatment of olive mill effluents: Laboratory and pilot scale systems investigation," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 217(C).
    23. Warong Wonglangka & Feng Han, 2024. "Green Heritage and Lanna Urban Identity: A Study of Temples in Chiang Mai Old City," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(15), pages 1-22, July.

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