Territories and Landscapes of Mediterranean Olive Groves in the Framework of Soil O-live Project

This book explores the Mediterranean olive grove as a living landscape shaped by centuries of human activity and now facing unprecedented environmental and social challenges. Through real-world examples from olive-growing regions in southern Europe and north Africa, it shows how everyday farming decisions, market pressures, climate change, and public policies directly affect soil health, biodiversity, and the long-term viability of olive cultivation. Developed within the Soil O-live European research project, the volume combines science, geography, and social insight to reveal what is happening beneath the surface of one of the Mediterranean’s most iconic agroecosystems. At the same time, it highlights practical pathways toward more sustainable and resilient olive groves, demonstrating how caring for the soil is essential not only for producing olive oil, but for protecting landscapes, rural livelihoods, and our shared environmental future.