Olive growing, olive oil technology and technical cooperation

The International Agreement on olive oil and table olives on article 1 (2) places emphasis on growing and technical objetives which can be summed up as follows:

To promote technical cooperation and research and development in the olive sector by encouraging the cooperation of public or private bodies and/or entities, whether national or international. To conduct activities for the identification, preservation and utilization of the gene sources of olive trees. To study the interaction between olive growing and the environment, particularly with a view to promoting environmental conservation and sustainable production, and to ensure the integrated and sustainable development of the sector.

To foster the transfer of technology through training activities in the fields connected with the olive sector by organizing international, regional and national activities. To promote the protection of geographical indications of olive products in compliance with the corresponding international agreements to which a member may be a party.

To encourage the exchange of information and experience in the phytosanitary field on olive growing. The Council attempts to achieve this string of objectives through the implementation of activity programmes encompassing research and development projects, environmental projects, technical assistance and training. The Council of Members approves the activities incorporated into its action plans in the light of its priorities.

To give some examples of work in this field, recent completed or ongoing IOC projects encompass subjects such as genetic olive resources, genetic olive improvement, pilot olive oil production demonstration plants, by-product recycling, pollen monitoring for harvest forecasting and irrigation management. In many cases, the IOC has sought additional financing for these projects from the Common Fund for Commodities, with which it has a long-standing collaborative relationship.

The Council looks to promote the use of modern techniques in the olive orchard and later at the olive oil mill and table olive processing facility, all with the aim of increasing production, lowering costs, upgrading quality and protecting the environment.
Its interest spans every area of olive growing: from breeding to propagation, from pest and disease control to irrigation, from pruning to harvesting, from olive oil production to by-product recycling, Each question may be approached in different ways, for instance through projects carried out in the member countries, technical publications and guides and occasionally international seminars.

In addition, the IOC Executive Secretariat runs international training courses on a wide range of themes relating to olive growing, olive oil production and table olive processing. It also awards grants for Members to hold activities aimed at achieving the objectives of the Agreement such as national seminars, in-house training opportunities or assignments by consultants or experts to find solutions to specific problems in their home olive sector.