Leveraging a Living Lab Approach for Sustainable Olive Cultivation: Addressing Climate Challenges and Enhancing Agroecosystem Resilience

As climate change disrupts weather patterns, it becomes essential to evaluate its effects on olive farming and develop sustainable management strategies to safeguard this agricultural legacy. Rising temperatures, decreased rainfall, and extreme weather events such as droughts and floods endanger the delicate balance between traditional agricultural practices and environmental sustainability. In addition, intensive agricultural methods exacerbate these challenges, jeopardizing soil fertility, water resources, and biodiversity—essential components for sustaining olive farming as both an economic and ecological asset.

This study employs the living lab approach, a collaborative framework that integrates scientific research, stakeholder involvement, and practical experimentation to identify challenges, document traditional knowledge, and design sustainable solutions for olive agroecosystems that are practical, scalable, and suited to local realities. At the core of this living lab are field experiments focused on the monitoring of agrometeorological factors and the testing of sustainable farming practices, with a particular emphasis on soil and water management. These field experiments include the examination of the impact of herbicide application, natural vegetation mowing, and cover cropping on soil erosion in hilly orchards, as well as a comparison of conventional irrigation practices with phenology-based irrigation and rainfed systems to evaluate water-use efficiency. The findings of these field experiments offer valuable insights for improving soil health, enhancing plant growth, and optimizing olive oil production while minimizing environmental impact. The initiative emphasizes capacity building through regular workshops and field demonstrations, facilitating knowledge exchange and skill development among stakeholders. Farmers receive practical guidance in adopting sustainable practices, and the initiative promotes the use of digital tools and remote sensing technologies to inform and enhance soil and water management decisions.

By fostering collaboration, innovation, and the integration of local knowledge, the living lab approach offers a powerful model for addressing the challenges of olive farming. It demonstrates how participatory experimentation can bridge the gap between preserving cultural heritage and ensuring the long-term sustainability of olive cultivation, safeguarding its ecological and economic value for future generations.