Territorial management contracts as a tool to enhance the sustainability of sloping and mountainous olive orchards: evidence from a case study in southern Spain

The continuity of farming in traditional sloping and mountainous olive production systems (SMOPS) isat risk, especially in marginally productive areas. The abandonment of olive production on sloping landswould have adverse economic, social, environmental and cultural effects. To tackle this risk of abandon-ment and to improve the sustainability of traditional SMOPS, we propose the Territorial managementcontracts (TMC) of rural areas. The potential of this instrument to be specifically applied to organic oliveproduction systems on sloping lands is assessed. The paper then summarises the results of a survey ofAndalusian farmers in sloping and mountainous areas aimed at identifying key characteristics of the TMCwith the potential to enhance its uptake in target farming communities. Results show that farmers arewell-disposed towards TMC, and that issues such as flexibility and external advice need to be consideredfor its successful implementation. From a policy perspective, the instrument is well aligned with theobjectives of the last reform of the EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).© 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.