There is a new and unsuspected investor in the Andalusian field: Pepsico

Pepsico has launched Vivaoliva, a program of 300,000 euros that seeks to give an impulse to the olive grove in Jaén through regenerative agriculture, economic inclusion and generational relief, as stated ABC Sevilla.

Why is it important. Jaén concentrates the greatest number of olive groves in the world but drags a structural fragility accentuated by the shortage of water, climate change and rural depopulation. The initiative raises a specific model of territorial transformation.

The first phase starts in Bedmar, Sierra Magina, with 150 farmers from the Grupo Inteole Cooperative. The program will finance agricultural technologies and form in techniques such as compostingcoverage crops and infiltration ditches.

The context. This is not a casual bet. Pepsico already has direct links with the territory: its brand Alvalle It is supplied exclusively with extra virgin olive oil from 2021. The economic connection is real and strategic.

In figures. The 300,000 euros distributed among 150 farmers account for 2,000 euros per exploitation. It is an amount that can finance some specific improvements, but that will hardly transform on its own the structural reality of farms that need investments of tens of thousands of euros to completely modernize.

Yes, but. The program faces the challenge of demonstrating real impact with limited resources. Andrea Pont, director of the Pepsico Foundation in Europe, Talk about “guaranteeing sustainable income”.

Now it remains to see if the economic sustainability of the Jiennense olive groves goes through what can address a single business initiative, or if you need anything else.

Between the lines. The commitment coincides with Pepsico’s need to ensure its olive oil supply chain in a context of climatic uncertainty. What is presented as corporate altruism also responds to a business logic: protect Alvalle’s supply sources.

Deepen. The program must compete with adverse market dynamics:

• Volatile oil prices.
• High energy costs.
• And a property structure that favors large farms against the small producers it intends to boost.

Vivaoliva has solid technical advice (Earthworm Foundation, The Sustainable Smallholder) and seeks to become a replicable model. Its success will be measured not only in regenerated hectares: also in itself it manages to retain rural population and create a demonstration effect that attracts more investment to the territory.

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