The Department of Soil Science of Athens “DSSA” organized on Tuesday 14 March 2017, 09:00 a.m., at the Department of olive tree, fruit and vegetable crops (OFV), in Kalamata an informative workshop on the sustainable management of olive groves. This is an effort to inform olive growers and environmentally sensitive citizens in the framework of the project “Introduction of new oLIVE crop management practices focused on CLIMAte change mitigation and adaptation” (oLIVE-CLIMA).
oLIVE CLIMA is funded by 50% by the financial instrument Life + of the European Union and has a total budget of 3.649.373 € (EU contribution 1.822.436 €). It was launched in October 2012 and will be completed in September 2017. The partners participating in the project implementation are the following: Development Agency of Eastern Thessaloniki’s Local Authorities “ANATOLIKI S.A.”, Institute for Olive Tree, Subtropical Crops and Viticulture “IOSV”, Department of Soil Science of Athens “DSSA”, Soil and Water Resources Institute – Former Land Reclamation Institute (LRI), University of Basilicata, Italy – Department of European and Mediterranean Culture (DICEM), Rodax Agro E.P.E. (RODAX), AGROTYPOS S.A., A.S. NILAEUS – Agricultural Olive oil Cooperative, Union of Agricultural Cooperatives of Peza of Iraklion Pref. Crete S.A., Agricultural Cooperative Partnership Mirabello Union S.A..
OLIVE CLIMA (LIFE 11 ENV / GR / 942) is a five-year project that began in October 2012 and is now in its final year of implementation. The program seeks to strengthen the development and implementation of new cultivation practices in olive cultivation in order to adapt and mitigate climate change. The project also focuses on practices that will contribute to the long-term storage of carbon dioxide in the soil as an organic substance, in order to improve its fertility and reduce the use of chemical fertilizers.
The workshop began with a series of presentations. Expert scientists, project partners and other invited speakers specializing in olive cultivation took part. The first presentation was by Dr. Viktor Kavvadias, Agronomist, and Researcher of the Department of Soil Science of Athens “DSSA” of the Soil and Water Resources Institute and partner of the oLIVE-CLIMA project. Dr. Kavvadias briefly presented the project and the objectives, emphasizing the description of good practices applied to the selected olive groves within the framework of the project. He also described the expected benefits in five years and over time.
The next presentation was by Dr. Evangelia Vavoulidou, Agronomist engineer, Senior Researcher of the Hellenic Agricultural Organization – DEMETER, which presented the practices of sustainable land management by analyzing the key systems of management practices, the benefits and the implications of this cultivation. And Dr. Victor Kavvadias continued, presenting the production of organic fertilizer – compost using residues and wastes from olive and olive oil processing.
Mr. Panagiotis Katsaris, Agronomist – Biotechnologist, Head of the Accredited Olive Oil Quality Laboratory of Kalamata, responsible for the Organoleptic Olive Oil Test Team and Special Scientific Staff at the Hellenic Agricultural Organization – DEMETER, presented the reuse of the natural olive oil juice, which comes from olive processing in the mill and is considered as waste, as an excellent (the most complete and economical) organic soil fertilizer for olive cultivation.
In addition, the workshop was attended by Dr. Sideris Theocharopoulos, Agronomist, Senior Researcher and Director of the Soil and Water Resources Institute of the Hellenic Agricultural Organization – DEMETER, who analyzed the issue of soil erosion in the olive groves, giving several examples and parameters leading to the degradation of soils. It also presented the bad practices and cultivation methods currently applied in olive groves to indicate how sustainable land management is to preserve and protect natural resources.
After a short break, Mr. Antonis Paraskevopoulos, Agronomist and Director of Agricultural Economics and Veterinary, presented the olive tree pests and diseases, focusing on those that appear most, analyzing the parameters that affect the balance of the olive grove, the damage Which causes, methods of integrated coping and fighting, new data and modern trends.
Mr. George Michalopoulos, representative of Rodax Agro Company and project’s partner, talked about a more specific issue on the environmental certification of olive oil (PEFCR) based on Olive-clima farming practices and their advantages.
Questions, placements and discussions between stakeholders were followed, as well as a visit to an olive grove to demonstrate the good practices implemented within the project.
The presentations of the conference (available only in greek):
5. Dr. Sideris Theocharopoulos
6. Mr. Antonis Paraskevopoulos
Educational Videos are available here
