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CIHEAM Zaragoza participates in EXPOLIVA 2025 to tackle water challenges in Mediterranean olive groves
CIHEAM > AGENDAS > CIHEAM Zaragoza participates in EXPOLIVA 2025 to tackle water challenges in Mediterranean olive groves
  • The Centre moderates a round table on efficient water use in response to the projected 20-30% decline in rainfall by 2050
  • The event attracted over 52,000 visitors and more than 1600 professionals from 52 countries

CIHEAM Zaragoza played an active role in EXPOLIVA 2025, a major international event for the olive oil sector, by moderating a round table on the critical issue of efficient water use in olive groves. This formed part of the Centre’s collaboration with the Fundación del Olivar in the XXII International Scientific, Technical and Transfer Symposium, which addressed one of the most pressing challenges facing Mediterranean olive growing: the sustainable use of water.

International experts examine strategies to mitigate the effects of climate change

The round table "Efficient Use of Water in the Olive Grove: Strategies and Tools" brought together leading experts from academia, technical institutions, and public administrations to explore good practices in water management. Ramzi Belkhodja, coordinator of the area of Plant Production, Health and Breeding at CIHEAM Zaragoza, moderated the discussion, accompanied by Ignacio Lorite (IFAPA), Emilio Camacho (University of Córdoba), Carmen Nuria Jiménez Gutiérrez (Guadalquivir River Basin Authority, CHG) and José Antonio Salinas Andújar (Chair of Water in Agriculture, Irrigation and Food, University of Almería).

Key conclusions and recommendations

Rainfall across the Mediterranean is projected to decrease by 20-30% between now and 2050, highlighting the urgent need to improve water-use efficiency in olive growing. Despite this alarming data, the panel proposed concrete solutions for the sector that could reduce water consumption by up to 50% without compromising productivity, making a significant contribution to crop resilience and sustainability.

The experts stressed the importance of democratising technification. While not all olive growers need to install sensors, they should all benefit from access to sensor data to support informed decision-making. By establishing sensor-equipped reference plots and using appropriate technologies, it is possible to provide data-driven recommendations for producers.

The discussion also revealed that there are large differences between regions such as Jaen and Cordoba in irrigation management. These differences are attributed to the way irrigation communities are regulated and organised rather than available technical capacity. Panellists underlined the need to study and monitor aquifers, a critical priority considering that groundwaters are an essential resource in olive-growing regions that are highly dependent on water.

Based on the experience in Almeria, the panel underlined the importance of collective water management. Active water-user communities should be well-structured and incorporate technical, social, legal and economic dimensions. The experts proposed measuring irrigation water productivity in euros or kilos per cubic metre, and allocating water according to economic and social priorities. They also discussed the use of a volumetric water fee as mechanism to distribute this valuable resource more efficiently and equitably.

Throughout the session, participants were unanimous in emphasising that training, access to information, and capacity-building, are valuable tools for eliminating barriers and enabling olive growers to adopt new technologies.

Call for cooperation

The session concluded with a call to promote dialogue and cooperation among irrigators communities, researchers, administrations, and farmers, advocating more efficient, equitable, and climate-resilient water management.

CIHEAM Zaragoza’s participation in EXPOLIVA 2025 reaffirms its commitment to knowledge transfer, and the pursuit of innovative solutions for Mediterranean agriculture in the context of climate change, from its position as a centre of reference for applied research and sustainable development in the olive-growing sector.