News

• The Traditional EVOO Operational Group uses blockchain technology to ensure a secure and verifiable system throughout the extra virgin olive oil value chain
• The differentiation of traditional olive groves is reinforced through technological innovation, sectoral cooperation, and market orientation.
• Spain leads world production with 2.6 million hectares and accounts for 45% of global olive oil production

Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is one of the cornerstones of the Spanish agricultural sector and a symbol of the Mediterranean diet. Spain is the world leader in production, with over 2.6 million hectares of usable agricultural land dedicated to olive groves and an average of 1.3 million tons annually over the last decade, representing around 45% of the world total. Of that volume, approximately 70% comes from traditional olive groves, a production model with strong territorial and social roots.

However, this system faces significant challenges. The duality between traditional and intensive olive groves, along with the lack of clear differentiation on the shelf, makes it difficult for consumers to identify the product's origin, making it necessary to strengthen transparency and traceability. It is in this context that the Traditional EVOO Operational Group (OG) was created , which is committed to blockchain technology, a digital system that allows for the secure, immutable, and verifiable recording of information by all stakeholders, as a tool to bring trust and added value to the sector.

Goals

The GO AOVE Tradicional program focuses its work on improving the market position of traditional olive groves through technological, commercial, and social innovation. Its objectives are:

1. Implement a traceability system based on blockchain technology that certifies the origin of EVOO from traditional olive groves.

2. Integrate all links in the value chain , from production to the point of sale.

3. Develop a business differentiation model that strengthens product positioning.

4. To build consumer trust through transparent and verifiable information.

Sector needs

The initiative addresses a series of structural challenges affecting traditional olive groves and impacting their profitability and sustainability. Among the main needs identified are:

• Improving market orientation and increasing competitiveness through research, technology, and digitization.

• Promoting the production of differentiated quality.

• Promoting association in the production sector to gain economic dimension .

• Support for generational change and the incorporation of women into the sector.

• Modernizing farms through specialized advice and training .

The GO has developed a structured program of 20 activities that delve into the knowledge of market trends and consumer perceptions regarding EVOO according to its production system.

Likewise, Diego Juste Conesa emphasizes that one of the fundamental pillars of the project is "to improve the position of farmers in the production chain, dignifying the profession."

Results

The GO ended its working period in February 2025, concluding with different actions:

• The installation of the traceability system that certifies the origin of traditional EVOO.

• The launch of an interactive advisory platform for traditional olive grove farms.

• The development of a training course consisting of 26 modules aimed at the production sector.

• Promoting practices aimed at improving the environmental and economic sustainability of farms.

The most visible result has been the launch on the market of a bottle of extra virgin olive oil from traditional olive groves, identified with a differentiating code and sold in LIDL establishments throughout Spain.

In the words of Diego Juste Conesa, coordinator of the project, the GO has developed “numerous actions to position an emblematic product highly valued by consumers, but which faces numerous challenges.

With this combination of digitalization, cooperation and integration of the chain, the GO AOVE Tradicional seeks to strengthen the competitiveness of extra virgin olive oil from traditional olive groves and make it easier for consumers to identify and value its origin more clearly.

Participants and funding

The project is coordinated by the Union of Small Farmers and Ranchers (UPA) and its partners include:

• MIGASA OILS Group

• Izertis

• University of Jaén

• LIDL

The project had a total budget of 479,882.50 euros and has been 100% financed by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) .