The significance of the traditional olive grove The traditional olive grove – older, less productive and less profitable, with production heavily influenced by the alternating harvest and fallow cycle, cultivated as a rain-fed crop and, as a rule, alongside other crops to supplement income – faces a clear threat of abandonment or replacement by vase and hedgerow olive groves. These latter olive groves can, should and are increasingly managed in such a way that their excellent productivity – and consequent higher profitability, which ensure economic sustainability – is complemented by environmental and social sustainability. This does not preclude recognition that the traditional olive grove is absolutely essential for the preservation of the rural landscape, the sustainability of rural communities, social and territorial cohesion, and the very culture and traditions of the rural world. It also plays a crucial role in preserving biodiversity, protecting against soil erosion and sequestering carbon; it is therefore an essential ally in combating climate change and ensuring the resilience of the rural world to such change. For all these reasons, its preservation, sustainability and enhancement are of the utmost importance. Of course, given its limited productivity, the difficulty of mechanisation, its small scale, the ageing of producers and the labour shortage, amongst other factors, economic viability is a challenge and is only possible through the promotion of this olive oil, which is produced under very specific conditions and is therefore particularly well-suited to being marketed in niche markets. To this end, it will be necessary to promote the production of top-quality olive oils, certified as organic or bearing a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) or Traditional Speciality Guaranteed (TSG) status, whilst minimising olive grove maintenance operations (pruning, fertilisation and phytosanitary treatments) to a minimum and, undoubtedly, with appropriate regulation and public support. Other strategies that can contribute to the future of traditional olive groves include: a focus on agritourism and environmental education activities; the promotion of cultural events linked to olive groves; improvements to the organisation of production and marketing; the integration of technology adapted to their specific characteristics to increase their efficiency; the training of new generations of farmers and the promotion of generational renewal. Regulation and public support for olive groves Decree No. 3387 of 1917 established, for the first time, a system for the protection of olive groves, over a hundred years ago. The most recent protective legislation, in force since 1986, is Decree-Law No. 120/86(1),which requires prior authorisation for the grubbing-up or clear-cutting of olive groves, thereby protecting traditional olive groves against destruction or uncontrolled replacement. Direct public support is provided primarily under the CAP - Common Agricultural Policy, either through a specific agri-environmental measure or through other forms of support. Interventions under the CAPSP – the CAP Strategic Plan – which may benefit any olive grove, whether modern or traditional, include: — Intervention C.1.1.3 ‘Agroforestry Mosaic’, which includes support for olive groves where these contribute to a mosaic of cultivated plots that helps minimise the risk of fire; — Intervention C.1.1.7 ‘Integrated Production (PRODI) – Arable Crops’, providing support for improving the sustainable management of agricultural holdings, particularly in environmental terms and in the context of climate change. — Intervention C.1.1.8 “Organic Farming (Conversion and Maintenance)”, which supports a comprehensive system for the management of agricultural holdings and the production of high-quality food and animal feed, which combines best 1 https://diariodarepublica.pt/dr/legislacao-consolidada/decreto-lei/1986-207628496 114 CULTIVAR ANALYSIS AND PROSPECTIVE STUDIES No. 35 Olive groves and olive oil
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