1.1 Preface

The International Olive Council (IOC) is the world’s only international, intergovernmental organisation exclusively dedicated to the olive oil and table olive sector. Founded in 1959 under the auspices of the United Nations, the IOC is headquartered in Madrid, Spain.

Since its inception, the IOC has been committed to the integrated and sustainable development of global olive cultivation. This commitment seeks to bring meaningful progress to member countries and, even more importantly, to the people whose livelihoods depend on the olive tree and its products.

According to the International Agreement on Olive Oil and Table Olives of 2015, the IOC aims, among other objectives, to promote technical cooperation and research and development in the olive sector. It encourages collaboration between national and international public and private entities and undertakes initiatives to identify, preserve, and utilise the genetic resources of olive trees.

Jaime Lillo, IOC Executive Director

However, the IOC’s work on genetic resources stretches back further. In 1994, the Network of Olive Germplasm Banks was established to conserve, catalogue, evaluate, and freely exchange cultivated autochthonous varieties representative of the biodiversity in olive-growing countries. Over the years, intensive collaboration with leading research centres in member countries has yielded projects like RESGEN, THOC1, THOC2, and GEN4OLIVE, among others.

In recent years, olive cultivation has evolved rapidly, driven by two main factors: the modernisation of farming techniques and the shifting climate conditions under which the crop is managed. In both cases, genetic resources have become central to addressing these challenges.

Adapting olive groves to new cultivation systems relies on genetic technique improvements, including the generation of new varieties. The propagation of healthy, authenticated plant material ensures that new plantations can be developed with confidence and facilitates both the expansion of planted areas and the modernisation of existing ones. The ex-situ collections within the Network enable research in diverse environmental scenarios, identifying varieties resistant to biotic and abiotic stresses. These collections also safeguard the genetic heritage of Olea europaea, which faces a clear risk of genetic erosion. Numerous examples underscore the suitability and need for continued investment of effort, talent, and resources in the genetic heritage of the olive tree.

This effort is far from self-serving; our success is shared. Today, substantial scientific knowledge demonstrates the ecosystem services that olive groves provide to society. The olive oil sector generates value at every stage of its supply chain, bringing wealth and employment to local communities. The olive tree itself is robust and resilient, easily adaptable to diverse climate scenarios, making it a valuable crop for rural areas facing depopulation and even for other regions where it may serve as an economic alternative.

From an environmental perspective, olive groves represent over 11 million hectares of well-managed forest, capable of absorbing an average of 4.5 tonnes of CO₂ per hectare per year. By reducing atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations, these groves effectively curb global warming and, hence, we can assert that olive groves effectively contribute to combating climate change.

Finally, the scientific community widely acknowledges that olive oil is the healthiest vegetable fat for human consumption, thanks to its well-documented cardiovascular, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties.

Therefore, dedicating our continued efforts and expertise to the genetic heritage of the olive tree is not only our duty to the global olive sector; it is a moral obligation to humanity. The olive grove nurtures the health of both the planet and its people.