Presentation

The first seminar on Biotechnology and olive products quality in the Mediterranean (Olivebioteq-2004) has been celebrated in Errachidia Morocco in November 2004 (www.olivebioteq.ird.fr). The second (Olivebioteq-2006) has been celebrated in Palermo, Italy in October 2006 and the 3rd (Olivebioteq-2009) will take place in Sfax Tunisia. The IRD and the DIC (Délégation à l'Information et à la Communication) were the main participants in the creation and the design of this olive-growing training seminar of principal Mediterranean actors.

The history of the olive tree can be confused with the Mediterranean one at the point to become the symbol of this region in the world. The management and enhancement of agricultural Mediterranean area are strongly related to olive growing and the economic and social consequences of production, processing and commercialisation of olive oil. Despite the emergence since the early 1980s of modern olive cultivation regimes (intensive and hyper-intensive), traditional olive cultivation continues predominating in most Mediterranean countries.

The evolution of olive oil sector in different countries is basically related to technical progress and policies implemented to promote their organisation and to maximize their potential. In fact, in the recent decades, they have benefited from several types of technological innovations as a result of scientific research and policies of promotion, training, encouragement and technical support. These innovations can be observed in the major segments of the olive sector: farms, mills, packaging factories and distribution channels.

Despite the adaptation of the olive tree to natural conditions of the Mediterranean and despite the innovative efforts made by most producers, the future of this sector is particularly dependent on:

• i) the dynamics of the world market,
• ii) the new provisions in terms of multilateral agricultural and trade policies (CAP, the Doha Round, bilateral and regional liberalisation agreements),
• iii) the structure and functioning of production and export systems of olive producing countries.

Presently, most Mediterranean countries are in an uncertain economic situation in which the consciousness of future challenges, the renovation of production and export systems, the identification of new uses and the alternatives of olive products valorisation (nutrition, health, cosmetics, energy, environment ...) have become imperative to strengthen the economic, social and environmental performance and the olive competitiveness.

To enrich the debate around these issues, the Olive Tree Institute (Institut de l'Olivier) organizes the third edition of Olivebioteq on the theme "For a renovated profitable and competitive Mediterranean olive growing sector" . The main objective of this edition is to expose and discuss the results of scientific research and the way to make them useful for the innovation of the Mediterranean olive oil sector.

The third edition of Olivebioteq will take place from 15 to 19 December 2009 in Sfax (Tunisia). It will be organized in collaboration with national organisations (ONH, DGPA, DGPCQPA, OTD, UTAP, CC, APIA, API and CEPEX) and international ones (IOOC, IRD, European Commission, CIHEAM, AFIDOL).