Home Institution
Hamilton College
Publication Date
Fall 2022
Abstract
Portugal became self-sufficient in olive oil production in 2014 and produces 150% of its needs, which makes Portugal the world’s fourth-largest exporter (DeAndreis, 2022). Olive groves in Portugal were once estimated to be 70-80% low-input traditional type, but rapid intensification toward a predominantly intensive mode of agriculture has been extremely fast (Beaufoy, 2001, p. 22; Silveira et al., 2018, p. 248). The Alentejo region, despite its dry Mediterranean climate and a tradition of extensive, multi-functional agricultural systems, is now home to 85% of Portugal’s olive groves and responsible for 77% of the country’s olive oil production (Dawson, 2019; Silveira et al., 2018, p. 248). The traditional farm structure in olive oil production, with a majority of smaller size, unirrigated farms, and a few properties with more than 100 hectares, is therefore shrinking due to rapid change in the industry (Silveira et al., 2018, p. 259). The research objectives of this study are to present insights about the economic viability of traditional Portuguese olive groves utilizing a framework for sustainable development that includes economic, environmental, and social aspects. This research is based on a case study analysis of two semi-structured interviews with traditional olive grove farmers in Alentejo, supplemented with data from relevant literature about the environmental impacts of different types of olive groves in the region, as well as their varying production yields and costs. The main findings of the study were 1) the importance of certified organic production methods for traditional farmers that allow for valuable product differentiation and access to higher-paying consumers, and 2) the degree to which traditional olive producers were open to planting Portuguese varieties with less aggressive intensive methods (but nonetheless more intensive than the traditional olive grove), with the tradeoff of producing a higher quantity of olive oil and a fighting chance to preserve the national history and tradition that accompanies the unique tastes and aromas of native varieties.
Disciplines
Agricultural and Resource Economics | Agriculture | Development Studies | Food Studies | Human Ecology | Sustainability
Recommended Citation
Soloway, Sydney, "The Viability of Traditional Portuguese Olive Groves in the Alentejo Region under a Sustainable Development Framework" (2022). Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection. 3519.
https://digitalcollections.sit.edu/isp_collection/3519
Included in
Agricultural and Resource Economics Commons, Agriculture Commons, Development Studies Commons, Food Studies Commons, Human Ecology Commons, Sustainability Commons
Program Name
Portugal: Sustainability and Environmental Justice