LIFE among the olives

LIFE among the olives: good practice in improving environmental performance in the olive oil sector

The EU is a global leader in olive production, accounting for almost 70% of total world output. The olive sector is particularly important in southern countries, where it represents a significant share of the agricultural economy. But the economic benefits of olive production come at a cost. Olive farming has become more intensive in recent decades and olive processing now produces significant and growing volumes of waste.

This brochure examines how the LIFE programme is helping both olive growers and olive processors to improve their environmental performance, highlighting good practices and approaches emerging from LIFE projects that could be adopted more widely within the sector.

Please note: A printed copy of this publication can be ordered free of charge from 15 February 2010 via the LIFE website.

To find out more about the LIFE programme, visit the website at: http://ec.europa.eu/life