GO OLIVE CARBON BALANCE: Determination of the carbon balance of olive oil production
- Type Grupo operativo
- Status In progress
- Execution 2024 -2026
- Scope Supraautonómico
- Autonomous community Andalucía; Madrid, Comunidad de
- Main source of financing PEPAC 2023-2027
Provide the olive oil sector with a valid algorithm for calculating the carbon balance for each campaign in a given plot. Application for validating carbon rights against the market using blockchain technology. Implement a carbon balance optimization tool at the plot level, so that it serves as a white paper for management for the farmer, and thus contributes to mitigating Climate Change by maximizing the rights generated in each case.
Development of a strategy/model to determine carbon accumulation in trees. Development of a strategy/model to determine carbon accumulation in soil and vegetation cover. Development of a strategy/model to determine emissions from cultivation work. Development of a tool to calculate the equivalent carbon balance at the plot level based on the three previous points. Develop a qualitative traceability system on blockchain to certify it in a structured way. Develop a tool (DSS) to optimize the carbon balance in a given plot based on the input data and develop a personalized guide/manual for optimal management to maximize said balance. H2-BMB. (Better Management for Balance) Dissemination and transfer of results throughout the national territory. Aimed at producers, cooperatives, agricultural organizations, etc.
Spain is the world leader in olive oil production, surface area and foreign trade. The project focuses on the development of an algorithm capable of calculating with a high degree of certainty the carbon balance of an olive grove plot in a given campaign and the implementation of a carbon balance optimization tool in a given plot.
- Bibliographic compilation. Selection of farms. Collection and processing of data. Articulating the information. Collection and processing of input data.
- Design of an algorithm for the annual rate of organic carbon accumulation. Design of a conceptual scheme for the accumulation of organic carbon in soil based on recent models. Determination of gases emitted during cultivation work. Development of the algorithms. Tokenize fungible data based on the previously generated algorithm. : Development of the Decision Support System (DSS). Launching and maintenance of the project website.
- Monitoring the annual rate of C accumulation in living labs. Generating information to calibrate the algorithm in activity 2. Developing the infrastructure to ensure the possibility of transmitting credits, guaranteeing traceability and avoiding the problem of double accounting.
- Calibration of the algorithm. Analysis of the reliability of the calculation algorithm. Evaluation of the algorithm for determining Corg in soil and biomass accumulation. The robustness of the acquired data will be statistically evaluated.
- Leaf mass volume estimation. Automation of the study of vegetation cover.
- Dissemination. Creation of the graphic image of the innovative project. Educational and informative resources. Informative events. Press office.
The olive oil and table olive sectors are a fundamental pillar of the Spanish agri-food system. In terms of olive oil, Spain is a world leader in terms of surface area, production and foreign trade: i) More than 2,750,000 hectares of cultivated olive groves (Survey on Crop Surfaces and Yields ESYRCE, MAPA), ii) The weighted average production of virgin olive oil of 1,293,110 tonnes in the last five years (Olive Market Information System SIMO, MAPA), iii) Exports of olive oil and table olives worth 3,941 and 818 million euros respectively (Foreign Trade Bulletin Campaign 2021-2022, MAPA).
These figures reflect the great social, economic, environmental and territorial impact: more than 350,000 farmers are dedicated to olive cultivation, the sector maintains around 15,000 permanent jobs in the industry and generates more than 32 million days of work per campaign. During the 2022-2023 campaign, olive oil production has been reduced by 56% (Olive Market Information System SIMO, MAPA), due to consecutive episodes of high temperatures during flowering and a lack of rainfall, and in many cases the price of oil at source does not cover production costs (AEMO Cultivation Costs Study 2020).
Given the possibility of repeating situations of significant reductions in production and low prices for olive oil, it is necessary to supplement the economic income associated with olive cultivation, in addition to contributing to achieving the commitment to climate neutrality by 2050, for example, through the monetization of carbon credits.
This project aims to determine the CO₂ balance at the olive grove plot level through monitoring, remote and local sensor readings, field measurements, etc.
The expected result of the project is twofold:
- Development of an algorithm capable of calculating with a high degree of certainty the carbon balance of an olive grove plot in a campaign.
- Implement a carbon balance optimization tool, applying blockchain technology.
- Coordinator name: Ecovalia Association
- Postal address: Avda. Diego Martínez Barrios nº10 (INSUR Building) 1st floor, door 12
- Coordinator email: proyectos@ecovalia.org
- Telephone: 955018961
- Asociación ECOVALIA
- Asociación Española de Municipios del Olivo (AEMO)
- Sociedad Cooperativa Olivarera de Valdepeñas (COLIVAL)
- LUQUE ECOLÓGICO S.L.
- INGEOLIVA S.L. (Cortijo el Puerto)
- Agencia Estatal del Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
- Asociación ECOVALIA
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