Growing olives and other tree species in marginal dry environments

Abstract

Olives have been grown in the Mediterranean areas for over five thousand years and yet there is renewed interest in these and other tree crops for the marginal areas of the dry lands. The need to increase water-use efficiency and to diversify income generation and household food security of the rural people are the main driving forces behind this trend. The livelihoods of the rural poor are increasingly threatened by land degradation, climate changes, and liberalization of trade markets that lower the competitiveness of products from marginal areas. There is a need to develop more options and higher-quality products in order to compete both nationally and internationally. For the harsh environments of the dry lands, there is a need for robust crops that can endure extreme droughts and temperature fluctuations along with soils of low fertility. Thus, this book is a timely addition to the literature on the potential for marginal dry areas. Although focusing mainly on olives, the reader can find information on other tree crops such as pistachio, fig, almond, pomegranate, cactus pear, jojoba, grape, and mulberry.