Evaluation of the Objectives and Concerns of Farmers to Apply Different Agricultural Managements in Olive Groves: The Case of Estepa Region (Southern, Spain)

Antonio Alberto Rodríguez Sousa, Carlos Parra-López, Samir Sayadi-Gmada, Jesús M. Barandica and Alejandro J. Rescia
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Antonio Alberto Rodríguez Sousa: Department of Biodiversity, Ecology and Evolution (BEE), Teaching Unit of Ecology (UDECO), Faculty of Biological Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Samir Sayadi-Gmada: Department of Agrifood System Economics, Institute of Agricultural and Fisheries Research and Training (IFAPA), Camino de Purchil s/n, 18080 Granada, Spain
Jesús M. Barandica: Department of Biodiversity, Ecology and Evolution (BEE), Teaching Unit of Ecology (UDECO), Faculty of Biological Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Alejandro J. Rescia: Department of Biodiversity, Ecology and Evolution (BEE), Teaching Unit of Ecology (UDECO), Faculty of Biological Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain

Land, 2020, vol. 9, issue 10, 1-21

Abstract: Olive groves are representative of the landscape and culture of Spain. They occupy 2.5 M ha (1.5 M ha in Andalusia) and are characterised by their multifunctionality. In recent years, socio-economic and environmental factors (i.e., erosion) have compromised their sustainability, leading farmers to abandon their farms or intensify their management. The main objective/purpose of this research was to study the drivers and concerns that condition farmers’ choice of a given olive grove management model. Taking the Estepa region as a case study (Andalusia, Spain), surveys were conducted among farmers with integrated and organic managed olive groves. The socio-economic aspects were the main objectives and concerns of the farmers with integrated olive groves. In the case of farmers with organic management, conservation objectives prevailed, and their concerns were oriented to environmental threats. The education level was a key factor in the adoption of given farm management, as it increased the level of environmental awareness. In the context of multifunctional agriculture, it would be desirable to increase this awareness of the environmental threats against olive groves, in order to provide incentives for the implementation of agri-environmental practices that would enhance the sustainability of these systems.

Keywords: farm income; landscape ecology; multifunctional agriculture; olive groves; social demands; socio-ecosystems; sustainability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jlands:v:9:y:2020:i:10:p:366-:d:422626

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