The culturally and historically important role of steep-slope agriculture, including traditional olive groves, is threatened by increasingly arid climates and desertification.
A unique agricultural heritage is being put at risk by climate change in many countries worldwide.
Steep-slope fields and crops are endangered more than other agricultural areas by water scarcity and increasing desertification.
If we do not enact mitigation and adaptation strategies, we risk losing traditions, culture and landscapes.- Paolo Tarolli, agriculture professor, University of Padua
A new study published in Nature Food shows how the effects of current volumes of greenhouse gas emissions over time will significantly reduce or even end farming traditions, many of which are deeply ingrained in the identity of nations.
According to the authors of the research, steep-slope agriculture yields account for only 5.6 percent of the global agricultural output.
See Also:Drought and Heat Cause Concern for Farmers Across Spain“But its historical and landscape value far exceeds those numbers,” Paolo Tarolli, a land environment agriculture professor at the University of Padua, told Olive Oil Times.
According to the researchers, steep-slope field agriculture is practiced on every continent except Antarctica.
Most of the world’s steep-slope fields are located in mountainous regions. The largest concentrations are found in Central America, the Mediterranean basin, the East African Rift valley and China.
However, steep-slope field agriculture is practiced in the Himalayas, Andes, Alps and Atlas Mountains of North Africa too. Farmers in the Philippines, Japan, New Zealand and Madagascar also employ the practice.
“For example, think about the traditional Honghe Hani rice terraces in Yunnan, China, where Hani people have farmed the terraces for over 1,300 years,” Tarolli said. “There, not only 48 different varieties of rice are grown, but the unique environment is also a proficient habitat for animals such as cattle, ducks or fish.”
Many olive groves also have thrived for centuries throughout the Mediterranean basin in steep-slope fields, mostly on terraced land.
“These areas are characterized by a series of unique challenges to farming given that heavy mechanization is not feasible and maintaining the soil requires special measures,” Tarolli said. “It is highly fragile farming land which is more exposed to climate change.”
Among the challenges for all types of agriculture, but especially steep-slope farming, are the growing risks due to extreme weather events, such as sudden torrential rainfall.
“These kinds of events might profoundly affect those areas if they are not correctly and fully managed,” Tarolli said.
In countries such as Italy, olive growing on steep-slope terraces is a tradition that dates back to Ancient Rome. Plenty of the country’s vineyards are also grown on steep-slope fields,
In the country, characterized by extensive mountainous areas, fruit and citrus orchards are grown on terraces too.
“They are all areas with very specific soil characteristics, biodiversity and ecosystems,” Tarolli said.
Given their distinct cultural and historical profile, many steep-slope agricultural lands are included on various cultural heritage lists, such as the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization (UNESCO).
The European Union-funded Olivero project also analyzed the uncertain future of olive farming on slopes and steep slopes.
The researchers found that these groves will be abandoned gradually or transformed into nature conservation areas. Still, many others will implement drip irrigation techniques to enhance the production of the olive trees, while others will increase their income by turning to other activities.
However, the risks identified by the Olivero researchers mainly were limited to high production costs, the exodus of younger farmers and soil erosion.
The research added a new layer to the threatened future of those groves. Scientists have designed a dynamic global map to highlight the changing steep slope farming areas for present-day (1980 to 2016) and future (2071 to 2100) scenarios.
In the current conditions, steep-slope agriculture is mainly found in temperate (46 percent) and cold (28 percent) climates. Seventeen percent are found in tropical regions, nine percent in arid areas and one percent in polar regions.
In the future scenario, if global greenhouse gas emissions continue, and there is no active curtailing of climate change, also known as scenario RCP8.5, those percentages are destined to change.
Steep-slope farming will almost double in tropical areas (27 percent) and arid lands (16 percent). In comparison, it will more than halve in cold regions (down to 13 percent) and slightly decrease in temperate areas, down to 44 percent.
“The sharp expansion of the arid zones is partly due to climate change in cold regions, with clear examples found in Alpine and Continental Europe, countries that surround the Black Sea, mainland Russia and mainland China, all of which host steep-slope agriculture,” the authors of the study wrote.
“Furthermore, future arid expansion is occurring in current temperate zones, with clear examples found in the Mediterranean basin (for example, Italy and Morocco), China, and Central America, each of which are important hotspots of steep-slope agriculture,” they added.
“As water availability decreases in the future, water management should focus on minimizing the waste of water,” Tarolli said. “And more can be done. A strategy for steep-slope farmers, for instance, might be to store rainfall in small local reservoirs which will serve as a backup in case of drought as well as nurture local fauna and biodiversity.”
“The message here is that if we do not enact mitigation and adaptation strategies, we do not only risk seeing many lands become arid or even entirely degrade because of drought severity and duration, but we also risk losing traditions, culture and landscapes,” he concluded.
More articles on: agriculture, climate change, drought
Jan. 29, 2024
Meet the Man Trying to Transform the Olive Sector in France
Yannick Masmondet is working with farmers to plant 50,000 hectares of olive groves on unused agricultural land, expanding national production while diversifying farmer portfolios.
Jan. 29, 2024
Experts Predict Bigger Swings Between Wet and Dry Years in California
Investing in infrastructure and management techniques can help olive growers protect crops from flooding and save water for droughts.
Feb. 29, 2024
Campaign Aims to Curb Misuse of 'Regenerative' in Agriculture
With rising demand for organic olive oil, California farmers are at the forefront of efforts to promote the true meaning of organic, regenerative agriculture.
Mar. 10, 2024
After Two Bad Harvests, Producers in New Zealand Anticipate a Rebound
Less rainfall in New Zealand has sparked hope for the country's growers, but the drier weather has come with another set of problems.
Sep. 6, 2023
Award-Winning Greek Producer Nurtures Soil Health and Patrini Olives
Spiridon Anangnostopoulos of Ranis has used his expertise to create the ideal soil substrate for his olive trees, bringing a local olive variety out of obscurity.
Sep. 25, 2023
Morocco's Olive Harvest Expected to Rebound, Despite Headwinds
Despite a hot and dry summer, recent rain has improved conditions, with more expected in the coming weeks. Officials expect production to improve compared to last year.
Dec. 19, 2023
Olive Center Works to Educate Next Generation of Ag. Pros
The Olea Learn program teaches undergraduates the necessary agronomic and business skills to run an olive farming and olive oil production business.
Feb. 23, 2024
After Bumper Harvests, a Sharply Lower Yield in Argentina
An ‘off-year’ harvest, lack of chill hours, and extreme weather events are expected to reduce the yield by as much as 40 percent.