The project for the Improvement of Olive Sustainability in the Regions of Jaén is a cooperation initiative involving the Rural Development Groups of Campiña Norte de Jaén, El Condado, Sierra de Cazorla, Sierra Mágina, Sierra de Segura and Sierra Sierra Sur de Jaén.
The general objective of the project is to improve the sustainability (social, environmental, and economic) of the olive sector in the rural areas of Jaén in response to the priority needs, weaknesses, threats, opportunities, and strengths identified in the Local Development Strategies (LDS) of the cooperating regions and also identified in the Olive Sub-program of the Rural Development Program of Andalusia.
The general objective of the project is to improve the sustainability (social, environmental, and economic) of the olive sector in the rural areas of jaén.
Despite Jaén leading the world production of Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) and showcasing a landscape candidate for World Heritage by UNESCO, we find a very worrying situation of lack of profitability in traditional olive groves and a high risk of abandonment of rural areas. In this context, committing to the diversification of the sector through olive tourism is an opportunity for olive-growing territories.
Specific objectives by line of action
1.- Economic diversification of the regions of Jaén through olive tourism and cooperation.
- Promote olive tourism as a development tool for the socio-economic sustainability of the regions of Jaén.
- Create “olive tourism experiences” that connect the rural regions of Jaén.
- Raise awareness of the olive tourism offer in the province of Jaén.
- Strengthen the positioning of olive tourism at the provincial level.
- Weave ties and create a space for territorial, intersectoral, and inter-institutional cooperation to promote olive tourism and olive growing in Jaén.
2.- Environmental sustainability of the olive sector.
- Promote the ecological and energy transition of the olive sector in the province of Jaén.
- Encourage the production of organic and agroecological EVOOs that contribute to environmental protection and climate change mitigation and adaptation.
- Promote the carbon footprint and water footprint certifications in the regions of Jaén.
- Promote the conservation of biodiversity in traditional olive groves through sustainable management systems.
3.- Olive growing as a driving force for knowledge.
- Disseminate the culture of olive groves and EVOOs among the general population, professionals in the olive and tourism sectors, and especially the educational community.
- Promote olive growing as a tool for the conservation and promotion of values (ecological, cultural, landscape, heritage, etc.) linked to traditional olive groves and high-quality olive oils.
- Involve young people in the promotion and dissemination of olive growing and olive tourism resources in their territories.
- Promote the olive cultural offer of the regions of Jaén.
4.- Equal opportunities between men and women in the olive sector.
- Understand the real participation of women in the Governing Councils of olive cooperatives in the regions of Jaén.
- Identify the causes, difficulties, and barriers that prevent women from reaching decision-making bodies in olive cooperatives.
- Involve women in the activity of cooperatives and increase their presence and participation in decision-making and power bodies.
- Promote cooperation among women cooperative members as a tool for strengthening individual and collective work.
- Generate conditions for women to empower themselves individually and collectively, promoting their participation in spaces of power.
- Increase the employability of women in the olive sector through online training and capacity building.
- Promote equal opportunities between women and men in olive mills through the adoption of tangible measures.
5.- The participation of young people in decision-making and power spaces in the olive sector.
- Understand the real participation of young people in decision-making and power spaces in olive cooperatives in Jaén.
- Identify the causes that slow down the incorporation of young people into decision-making and power spaces in cooperatives.
- Promote and increase the participation and involvement of young people in the Governing Councils of olive cooperatives.
6.- The competitiveness of the olive sector in the regions of Jaén.
- Improve the competitiveness of Jaén’s EVOOs through differentiated quality by promoting the implementation of Halal and Kosher certifications and carbon footprint and water footprint certifications.
- Increase the commercialization of bottled EVOOs to improve added value and increase profitability.
- Improve the training and capacity building of professionals in the olive sector and provide them with the necessary tools and knowledge to improve the commercialization of EVOOs.
- Promote the use of sustainable packaging for the commercialization of bottled EVOOs, improving their competitiveness in markets demanding environmentally friendly products.
