The project

Innovation for the sustainable and adapted development of olive cultivation in Galicia, Castilla y León and Andalusia

What is SUPRAOLIVO

An interregional proposal for a more resilient, profitable and differentiated olive grove

SUPRAOLIVO is a supra-regional Operational Group that promotes innovation and competitiveness in the olive-growing sector in Galicia, Castilla y León and Andalusia through the enhancement of local resources, business strengthening and implementation of sustainable practices.

Key idea

Connecting scientific knowledge, production experience and territorial cooperation to advance towards olive cultivation that:

  • Is more competitive and sustainable
  • Is better adapted to climate change
  • Is based on local varieties and own resources
  • Can generate economic, environmental and social value

Objectives

General: Promote innovation and competitiveness in the olive-growing sector in Galicia, Castilla y León and Andalusia by enhancing local resources, strengthening businesses and implementing sustainable practices.

Enhance adapted varieties

Identify and enhance native olive varieties and other varieties of interest adapted to the soil and climate conditions of Galicia, Castilla y León and Andalusia, to ensure the resilience of the olive-growing sector in the face of climate change.

Improve the quality of harvests and oils

Increase the quality of harvests and oils by incorporating advanced technologies, qualitative and sensory analyses, and optimising production processes.

Reduce the environmental footprint of cultivation

Minimise the sector’s environmental footprint through sustainability studies, assessment of climate impact and adoption of sustainable agricultural practices.

Transfer knowledge to the sector

Promote technology transfer and dissemination of results through demonstration days, technical events and communication strategies that encourage supra-regional cooperation.

What do we want to achieve?

SUPRAOLIVO expects to have an impact in three areas:

Economic
  • Estimated 20% to 30% increase in productivity in pilot plots
  • Premium extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) based on origin, quality and sustainability, with market access
  • Opportunities for cooperatives, SMEs, oil mills and nurseries, advisory organisations and tourism
Environmental
  • Lower input use with adapted varieties and efficient management
  • Water savings: smart irrigation and water balance
    Soil improvement: ground cover, mycorrhisation and organic fertilisation
  • Biodiversity conservation
Social and territorial
  • Agricultural diversification
  • Creation of direct and indirect employment
    Support for generational renewal and the participation of women and young people
  • Strengthening of territorial identity linked to the olive tree and conservation of local varieties

Opportunity map

Three territories with very different soil and climate conditions and one shared challenge: making olive cultivation profitable, sustainable and differentiated.

Galicia

Territory with predominantly acidic soils and a humid climate, where olive cultivation has growing potential thanks, among other factors, to the existence of adapted local varieties. SUPRAOLIVO will explore their behaviour in greater depth and move towards more efficient, sustainable cultivation models adapted to the territory’s specific conditions.

Castilla y León

Territory with areas of olive-growing tradition and distinctive soil and climate conditions, especially in the areas of Ávila, Salamanca and Zamora, where high-quality oils are produced. SUPRAOLIVO will study the adaptation of varieties and cultivation systems to these conditions, helping to strengthen the sustainability and competitiveness of olive cultivation and its potential as an activity linked to the territory and rural development.

Andalucía

Region with a long olive-growing tradition and extensive production experience, which contributes knowledge and good practices to the project for transfer to other territories. At the same time, the concentration of new plantations in a small number of varieties is causing a loss of genetic diversity. SUPRAOLIVO will work on assessing and enhancing this varietal biodiversity to move towards a more sustainable olive sector that is better adapted to climate change.

Expected results

Four technical results and a cross-cutting transfer line organise the three years of work.

Crop adaptation and management

Fine-tuning and adaptation of olive varieties to the specific biotic and abiotic conditions of each autonomous community assessed, and evaluation of production systems.

Improve the quality of harvests and oils

Study of harvest and oil quality to guarantee a competitive final product adapted to the demands of today’s market, which increasingly values differentiation, sustainability and the sensory attributes of extra virgin olive oil.

Prospecting for genetic material: identification, propagation and establishment of olive plantations of varieties of interest.

Reduce the environmental footprint and increase sustainability

Agroeconomic and sustainability studies: costs, profitability and production efficiency will be analysed, while environmental indicators such as the carbon footprint and water use will be measured.

Technology and knowledge transfer

Maximum dissemination of the project’s results in the sector, promoting effective implementation and transfer through publications, creation of the project’s web environment and social media, and the organisation of and participation in outreach days and events.

What the sector will receive

Knowledge generated in the field, laboratory and technical analyses is translated into practical recommendations for each professional profile.

From results to practical application

Olive cultivation that is better adapted to the territory, more environmentally sustainable and has greater potential for differentiation by quality and origin.

  • Farmers. Choose varieties, manage soil and irrigation, reduce climate risks and improve the viability of the farm.

  • Technicians. Field data, oil analysis and monitoring of the plantations’ water, health and nutritional status.

  • Cooperatives and businesses. EVOO differentiated by origin and quality, commercial opportunities and transfer materials.

The Operational Group

Nine entities from the three territories, from the cooperative sector to public research, coordinated by AGACA.

Coordination

  • AGACA – Galician Association of Agri-food Cooperatives.

Rural development and research

  • ADRISS – Association for Integrated Rural Development of the Salamanca Sierras
  • IAS-CSIC – Spanish National Research Council through the Institute for Sustainable Agriculture (IAS)

Subcontracted entities

  • CTC – Fundación Centro Tecnolóxico da Carne
  • ITACyL – Instituto Tecnológico Agrario de Castilla y León
  • IFAPA – Instituto Andaluz de Investigación y Formación Agraria, Pesquera, Alimentaria y de la Producción Ecológica.

Duration, scope and funding

March 2026 – April 2029

Three years of technical work, analysis, demonstration and transfer to the sector, with supra-regional and international scope and results transferable to olive-growing territories facing similar challenges.

  • Innovation project of general interest under supra-regional Operational Groups of AEI-Agri, within the framework of Spain's CAP Strategic Plan (PEPAC).
  • EAFRD / European Union — 80 %: 465.537,10 €.
  • General State Administration / MAPA — 20 %: 116.384,27 €.
  • Total project budget: 581.921,37 €.
  • REGAGE code: 25e00048407852.

View project materials

Factsheets, reports and publications from the Operational Group, published as the three years of work progress.

Go to Resources