Luis Duarte Melo, APOAC; and Óscar Pires, ADSAICA
The region of Aire and Candeeiros has a strong agricultural and landscape identity. What characteristics distinguish its olive groves and olive oils in the Portuguese panorama?
The region of Aire and Candeeiros has a very marked agricultural and landscape identity, deeply linked to its karst territory. Here, the traditional olive grove is consolidated as a structuring element of human occupation, reflecting a relationship between nature, culture and farming practices that has been passed down from generation to generation.
Located within the Natural Park of the Serra de Aire and Candeeiros, the olive groves are spread across the seven municipalities that make up this territory — Alcanena, Alcobaça, Porto de Mós, Ourém, Rio Maior, Santarém and Torres Novas — and express the diversity of its three main landscape units: Sierra, Bairro and Campo.
In the Sierra, where water is abundant underground but scarce on the surface, the rocky soils force the olive tree to grow slowly, making it more resilient. The landscape is marked by dry-stone walls that protect small olive grove plots and by extensive grazing, highlighting the multifunctional productive use of these lands.
In the Bairro, limestone plateaus and gentle reliefs form a highly diversified agricultural mosaic. In the Campo, the more fertile areas allow the transition between traditional olive groves and more intensive production systems. This combination of ecological and cultural factors gives the territory a uniqueness that is rare in the Portuguese panorama.
The native varieties Galega and Lentrisca constitute the pillars of this identity. Galega, widely adapted to karst terrain, produces balanced oils with green notes and well-defined bitterness and pungency. Lentrisca, exclusive to the region, offers intense and distinctive aromatic profiles.
In recent years, APOAC members have opted for early harvesting, producing greener and fresher olive oils with high polyphenol content — compounds recognized for their health benefits — thus demonstrating a strong capacity for innovation in a sector deeply rooted in local history.
All this results in olive oils with a marked personality, characterized by aromas of fresh grass, olive leaf, nuts and wild plants typical of the karst landscape. The slow fruit ripening, natural water stress and extensive management of the olive groves — mostly rainfed — enhance the expression of terroir. This identity is now recognized by the collective brand “Olivedos do Carso,” which highlights the extra virgin olive oils of our members and reaffirms the link between agricultural production, natural heritage and local culture.
The preservation of this traditional olive grove mosaic is becoming increasingly relevant within the co-management strategies of the Natural Park of the Serra de Aire and Candeeiros and the Dinosaur Footprints Natural Monument of Serra de Aire. The traditional olive grove, integrated into extensive agricultural systems, contributes to biodiversity conservation, soil protection and the maintenance of the landscape identity of the territory, in line with the objectives defined in the Co-Management Plan for the sustainable valorization of natural and cultural resources.
ADSAICA has been developing projects that promote the integrated valorization of the agricultural, environmental and cultural heritage of the region, strengthening the connection between local production, nature conservation and territorial development. In this context, “Olivedos do Carso” represents not only a high-quality agri-food product, but also a concrete expression of farming practices compatible with the protection of karst ecosystems and the maintenance of population in rural areas.
It is also worth highlighting the contribution of these olive groves to preventing agricultural abandonment and reducing the risk of forest fires, through active landscape management and sustainable vegetation control. The continuity of these traditional practices, combined with innovation and the professionalization of producers, is essential for the resilience of the territory and for consolidating a sustainable development model recognized by local and regional institutions.
The valorization of olive oil produced in this territory also responds to the growing demand for authentic, traceable products linked to their origin, consolidating the olive groves of Aire and Candeeiros as an inseparable part of the cultural and landscape identity of the region. This approach reinforces the objectives of awareness, territorial education and heritage promotion established in the strategic instruments of the Natural Park and in the projects promoted by ADSAICA.
Portugal is currently experiencing a significant evolution in the olive oil sector, balancing traditional production with new intensive models. How do these two realities coexist, and what role should traditional olive groves play in the future?
Portugal today encompasses very different realities within the olive oil sector: traditional, intensive and super-intensive olive groves, each with its own logic of competitiveness and sustainability.
The super-intensive irrigated model bases its competitiveness mainly on price, benefiting from water availability, mechanisation, production efficiency and economies of scale. These factors allow extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) in bulk to be placed on the international market at very competitive costs. It is a relevant model for the trade balance and for the industry, but it cannot become the sole criterion for analysing the sector.
Traditional rainfed olive groves, which still account for the majority of the surface area, cannot compete on price and require a differentiated positioning. Their viability depends on strategies of differentiation aimed at offering bottled extra virgin olive oils under their own brands, targeting consumers who value origin, authenticity, sensory quality, sustainable practices and territorial identity.
In this case, competitiveness is built on other pillars: native varieties, origin certifications, early harvests, nutritional properties, marketing and distribution channels, olive tourism, integration with gastronomy and heritage, as well as multifunctional models that combine agricultural production with the provision of ecosystem services.
It is precisely here that traditional olive groves acquire a strategic role for Portugal. Beyond producing olive oil, they generate meat and honey, support biodiversity, contribute to health and well-being, boost tourism, improve water and climate resilience, capture carbon, maintain the Mediterranean landscape, retain population and stimulate rural economies.
These are assets that are rarely reflected in the financial accounts of an olive farm, yet they have growing economic, environmental, social and cultural value, and should be recognised and remunerated through public policies.
The competitiveness of the Portuguese olive oil sector will not be decided solely by production cost. It will depend on the ability to combine an intensive model — competitive in price, but needing to move further towards value creation — with traditional olive groves that are competitive through differentiation, reinforcing the latter as a unique national asset.
The true future potential lies in turning traditional olive groves into a driver of quality, sustainability and territorial valorisation, rather than allowing them to lose relevance by being compared directly with models that follow completely different logics.
In the territory of the Serra de Aire and Candeeiros, this reflection is particularly important, as traditional olive groves are inseparable from the ecological and cultural identity of the landscape. The Co-Management Plan of the Natural Park of the Serra de Aire and Candeeiros and the Dinosaur Footprints Natural Monument recognises the need to promote economic activities compatible with the conservation of natural values, encouraging agricultural models capable of simultaneously ensuring profitability, biodiversity and territorial cohesion.
In this context, traditional rainfed olive groves are an excellent example of balance between production and conservation.
The maintenance of these traditional farming systems helps preserve characteristic elements of the Mediterranean landscape, such as dry-stone walls, agricultural mosaics and associated habitats, contributing to ecological connectivity, soil protection and the valorisation of rural heritage.
It is a living heritage whose continuity depends both on its ability to generate economic value for producers and on social and institutional recognition of the environmental and territorial functions it performs.
In many rural areas across Europe, generational renewal is becoming an increasingly pressing concern. How is APOAC working to attract young producers and preserve the olive-growing culture in the region?
Generational renewal is currently one of the greatest challenges for rural areas in Europe, and our region — Aire and Candeeiros — is no exception.
APOAC addresses this issue in a very practical way, creating the necessary conditions for young people to see the olive grove and olive oil sector not only as a legacy, but also as a genuine future opportunity.
We do this through technical training programmes, field days, exchanges of best practices, and direct support for new producers, helping them understand viable business models, differentiation strategies, and ways to add greater value to their oils and related products.
We also promote young people’s connection to the territory by highlighting one of its most emblematic features: the olive grove. This is complemented by promotional events, outreach activities, olive oil tastings, and cultural initiatives that bring the community closer to the olive sector, strengthen local identity, and create experiences capable of sparking the interest of new generations.
We start even earlier. APOAC is developing educational actions in schools to introduce children and young people to olive-growing culture, the agricultural history of the region, and the environmental and social importance of this activity. The aim is for future generations to grow up recognising the value of the olive grove and olive oil, as well as the possibility of building a life project around them.
At the same time, we act as a platform for community mobilisation, involving schools, municipalities, universities and producers in the preservation of olive-growing culture and in the transmission of knowledge between generations.
We are convinced that the sustainability of the sector depends on creating the right conditions for young people to innovate without losing the identity of the territory.
That is precisely our objective: to help pass on to future generations a more vibrant, dynamic, sustainable and competitive olive-growing ecosystem than the one we inherited.
What specific challenges are currently faced by Portuguese producers in terms of sustainability, water management and climate change adaptation?
Portuguese producers today face particularly demanding challenges in terms of sustainability, water management and climate change adaptation.
The increasing irregularity of rainfall, the greater frequency of dry years, and the pressure on water resources are significantly affecting agricultural systems, especially rainfed ones, leading to lower productivity, greater harvest instability, and the need to adapt farming practices.
These factors are compounded by several structural weaknesses: soils vulnerable to erosion, ageing olive groves, high maintenance costs, and limited investment capacity among small family farms.
At the same time, producers must comply with increasingly strict environmental requirements, often without adequate technical and financial support. The contrast between intensive irrigated systems — dependent on water availability — and traditional rainfed olive groves — entirely dependent on rainfall — highlights the need for differentiated public policies adapted to territorial realities. Rainfed systems, as highly water-efficient models, need support to continue fulfilling their environmental and territorial role.
Adaptation to climate change now requires a combination of measures: improved soil management, increased organic matter, the use of cover crops, grazing, regenerative agriculture practices, more resilient varieties, early harvesting, monitoring of emerging pests, and access to technologies adapted to small-scale farming.
But it also requires a less visible yet decisive element: the ability to transfer knowledge and provide continuous technical support. The increasing complexity of decisions — from vegetation cover management to phytosanitary monitoring — makes access to specialised advice, training and networks for sharing best practices essential.
Added to this is the difficulty of reconciling administrative requirements, environmental criteria and economic viability. The complexity of agricultural and environmental regulations represents an additional challenge, particularly in low-density territories where human and financial resources are limited.
It is therefore essential to develop support models better adapted to the reality of traditional olive groves and small-scale agriculture.
In the territory of the Serra de Aire and Candeeiros Natural Park, these challenges are combined with the need to ensure balanced management of the landscape and natural values. The Co-Management Plan recognises the importance of strengthening the relationship between nature conservation and agricultural activity, promoting integrated approaches that recognise farmers as key actors in territorial management and in preserving landscape identity.
The maintenance of traditional olive-growing systems helps preserve emblematic elements of the Mediterranean landscape — such as dry-stone walls, agricultural mosaics and associated habitats — reinforcing ecological connectivity, soil protection and the valorisation of rural heritage.
In short, the challenges are complex, but traditional olive groves have unique conditions to be part of the solution: varieties adapted to the territory, high water-use efficiency, and the ability to produce olive oils of outstanding quality. What is still needed is a framework that turns these natural advantages into economic sustainability and true competitiveness.
What opportunities currently exist to strengthen cooperation between Mediterranean producing regions in areas such as promotion, innovation, or the defence of traditional olive groves?
Mediterranean producing regions face common challenges: climate change, pressure on water resources, rural depopulation, competitiveness, access to markets, and the need to generate value along the food chain. This shared reality creates significant opportunities to strengthen cooperation between territories united by a common agricultural history and similar structural challenges.
In terms of promotion, there is strong potential to develop joint campaigns that highlight the Mediterranean identity, native varieties, cultural landscapes and olive tourism. Working in networks allows regions to achieve greater critical mass, increase international visibility, and improve access to markets, especially for smaller territories.
In the field of innovation, cooperation accelerates the exchange of technical and scientific knowledge on regenerative agriculture, efficient water management, climate change adaptation, by-product valorisation, accessible digitalisation, and artificial intelligence. It enables smaller territories to access solutions that would be difficult to develop independently. Innovation is also a key tool for increasing added value and reducing dependence on bulk olive oil markets.
Regarding the defence of traditional olive groves, Mediterranean cooperation is essential to build common positions within the European Union on issues such as the development of specific policies for rainfed olive systems, remuneration for ecosystem services, adequate support for small farms, protection of local varieties, and recognition of the environmental, cultural and territorial role of traditional olive groves.
Currently, this cooperation benefits from a very favourable European framework through programmes such as Horizon Europe, LIFE, Interreg MED, Erasmus+ and PRIMA, which fund joint actions in promotion, training, applied research and pilot projects developed across different territories.
This experimental dimension is especially relevant for traditional olive groves, where climate adaptation and sustainable management require solutions tailored to the specific conditions of each territory.
The creation of international networks for demonstration and knowledge exchange can accelerate innovation transfer to producers, reduce experimentation costs, and validate solutions that would be difficult to develop through small organisations or individual farms.
Areas such as water monitoring, soil conservation, regenerative agriculture, by-product valorisation, functional biodiversity, and digital decision-support tools clearly illustrate the enormous potential of this cooperation.
Beyond the technical component, these projects strengthen the institutional capacity of producing regions, fostering greater coordination between territories, research, public policy and markets.
In protected territories such as the Natural Park of the Serra de Aire and Candeeiros, this international cooperation can also reinforce strategies for valuing the landscape, agricultural heritage and ecosystem services associated with traditional olive groves.
ADSAICA has directed part of its activity precisely towards this logic of cooperation and territorial valorisation, convinced that many of the challenges facing traditional olive groves go beyond the local scale and require responses built from a Mediterranean and European perspective.
In a time when the sector is increasingly seeking to get closer to the final consumer, what role can international initiatives such as the Olive Oil World Congress play in spreading olive oil culture?
Initiatives such as the Olive Oil World Congress play a decisive role in bringing the olive oil sector closer to the final consumer.
In a context where markets increasingly value origin, authenticity and sustainability, these gatherings serve as privileged platforms to disseminate olive oil culture, improve product knowledge, and showcase the extraordinary diversity of Mediterranean oils.
They bring together producers, associations, public officials, researchers, distributors and marketing specialists, creating a space for exchange on trends, innovation, best practices and opportunities for collaboration.
For smaller regions, this ability to generate connections is especially important, as it allows them to gain visibility, access international knowledge networks, and establish partnerships in areas such as innovation, territorial promotion, olive tourism and climate change adaptation.
The current European framework, through programmes such as Horizon Europe, LIFE, Interreg MED, PRIMA or Erasmus+, further enhances the potential of these congresses by enabling joint projects in applied research, training and field-based demonstration. This cooperation accelerates the transfer of technical knowledge, reduces experimentation costs, and allows for the comparison of solutions developed across different Mediterranean territories—something particularly valuable for traditional olive groves.
In regions located within protected natural areas, such as the territory of the Natural Park of the Serra de Aire and Candeeiros, these congresses also help highlight the agricultural and landscape heritage associated with traditional olive groves, strengthening the link between nature conservation, economic activity and public awareness of the territory’s values.
We also hope that they will contribute to reinforcing the recognition of the collective brand “Olivedos do Carso”, promoted by APOAC, consolidating the territorial identity and uniqueness of the extra virgin olive oils produced by our members in the Natural Park of the Serra de Aire and Candeeiros.
In this context, the Olive Oil World Congress is a key tool for communicating the value of olive oil, bringing consumers closer to olive-growing regions, and consolidating Mediterranean olive oil as a cultural, gastronomic and sustainable asset with strong future potential.
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