To ensure the relevance and sensitivity of the search process, the equations “olive” and “olive AND agroecological production” was used as the main search string. This combination of keywords was applied using the Boolean operator AND to capture documents that explicitly address both olive cultivation and agroecological production systems.

The search was performed in the Scopus database and included peer-reviewed scientific articles, review papers, books, book chapters, and conference proceedings.

The selection process involved three phases. First, documents published between 1900 and 2024 were selected with search equation “olive.” The second phase was the selection of documents published between 2000 and 2024. In the third phase, the resulting documents from the search equation “olive AND agroecological production” were analyzed (Figure 1).

Inclusion criteria were:

Publications indexed in Scopus; studies focused on agroecological systems, olive cultivation, sustainable agriculture, or rural innovation. Documents that analyzed territorial dynamics, biodiversity, or resilience in agriculture with agroecological approach.

Exclusion criteria included:

Scientific documents that are outside the established time interval. Documents that focus on agriculture with conventional models without considering topics such as olive growing, agroecology, or territorial development.

All retrieved documents were imported into Mendeley reference manager to eliminate duplicates. The remaining documents were organized in Excel and classified by publication year, thematic focus, and geographical context. A descriptive analysis was conducted to identify trends in scientific production over time, authorship concentration, and key countries and institutions contributing to the topic.

To examine the evolution and maturity of the field, the life cycle of publications was modeled using non-linear regression techniques, including Sigmoidal, Logistic, Weibull, Gompertz, Hill, and Chapman functions, as applied in previous bibliometric studies. Curve fitting was performed in SigmaPlot (Systat Software Inc., San José, CA, USA), selecting the best-fitting model based on the coefficient of determination (R²) and significance level (p < 0.05).

Additionally, the main thematic clusters were identified according to Scopus classification codes (e.g., Agricultural and Biological Sciences, Environmental Science, Social Sciences), allowing for an integrative understanding of the multidimensional nature of agroecological research in the region.

Agroecology, conceived as a science, movement, and practice, represents an emerging paradigm that has established itself as a viable alternative to dominant agroindustrial models. According to Altieri and Nicholls (2017), agroecology proposes a holistic approach based on ecological principles for the design and management of sustainable agricultural systems, although its scope goes beyond that. Therefore, its transdisciplinary nature allows it to integrate traditional knowledge, peasant experiences, and scientific knowledge in the search for resilient and culturally appropriate systems. Therefore, far from being a simple green technification, agroecology seeks to transform the relations of production, the ways of inhabiting the land, and the social structures that have sustained dependence on agrochemicals and extractive agriculture.

From a comparative perspective, scholars such as Miguel Altieri and Clara Nicholls have emphasized that agroecology cannot be understood solely through productive parameters; rather, it must be interpreted as a process of social reconfiguration that centers the role of rural communities, their autonomy, and their relationship with nature. Gliessman (2007), for his part, proposed five levels of agroecological transition, ranging from energy efficiency to the transformation of the entire food system. This leads to the understanding that this process involves not only the revision of productive practices but also the questioning of power structures and marketing networks, recognizing the deeply political nature of agroecology as a struggle for models of life that transcend market logic.

Under this understanding, crops of food and industrial importance have sought to rethink their production methods in order to achieve greater efficiency in the use of resources and minimize the impacts they have on the environment (Ostrom, 2009). To this end, FAO continuously monitors the dynamics of crop production around the world, recognizing that crops such as olives represent one of the main agricultural and economic strengths of countries such as Spain, Italy, Turkey, Portugal, and Tunisia, with more than 11 million tons of olives by 2023. In the case of America, countries such as Argentina, Peru, Chile, and the United States stand out, accounting for nearly 800,000 tons of olive production (FAO, 2023).

Under the productive dynamics of this crop, strategies have been developed that seek to strengthen more sustainable agricultural systems, where food production is not at the expense of natural resources and where social development becomes a fundamental axis within agriculture (Grandi et al., 2023). Thus, it is important to recognize that olive production is influenced by climatic and socioeconomic vulnerability, for which reason, different countries have sought to strengthen the development of orchards that achieve a lower demand for agricultural inputs, as is the case in some regions of the Mediterranean, where olive cultivation management has been transformed to maintain a balance between food production, economic investment, and the protection of biodiversity (Dias et al., 2022).

Thus, it is interesting to address the development of agroecological practices in olive production systems, as highlighted by Mejri et al. (2025), where special attention is paid to six principles associated with the co-creation of knowledge, social value, nutritional value, equity, connectivity, land governance, use and care of natural resources and community participation, with the aim of achieving comprehensive roadmaps and articulating sustainability within the framework of economic growth and commitment to the community from a holistic approach. Furthermore, Migliorini et al. (2018) detail the actions developed in sustainable agri-food systems in the Mediterranean, as the main olive-growing macroregion, highlighting fundamental actions around water, production, soil, research, waste and people and institutions (Figure 3). This analysis understands that agroecology is unfortunately still an emerging concept in agriculture. However, it shows great potential due to the sociocultural, biophysical, and political-economic characteristics of the producing regions. It also presents challenges focused on greater networking, with greater participation from different actors and institutions that support productive transition processes.

For this reason, to better understand the dynamics that arise in agroecological experiences, it is useful to resort to the theory of socioecological systems, developed by Ostrom (2009) and expanded by Berkes et al. (2000), where it is possible to analyze from a holistic vision, farms that address agroecological principles as complex and interdependent systems that integrate ecological, economic, organizational and cultural components, since unlike reductionist models, the socioecological approach starts from the interaction between human beings and their environment as a functional unit, where local decisions directly affect the health of the ecosystem.

In the particular case of Alto Ricaurte (Colombia), biophysical characteristics limit the full development of crops and hinder economic competitiveness compared to other regions, mainly because this area has poor soils with low availability of minerals and organic matter, along with a limited water supply, which results in low olive production (García-Parra et al., 2023). However, in this region, olive trees manage to remain green (abundant foliage) and bloom throughout the year, mainly because climatic factors such as temperature and radiation do not allow these trees to undergo physiological differentiation and therefore permanent fluctuations in harvest yield. Under this scenario, strategies should be established that seek to diversify the use of this crop, generating bets with a focus on organic production (Paffarini et al., 2021), production of other crops associated with the olive tree (Irhza et al., 2024), honey production in olive orchards (Moreno-Delafuente et al., 2022) and olive leaf tea (Ferdousi et al., 2019).

Thus, these bets align with Edgar Morin’s concept of complex thinking, where the adoption of agroecology is based on a non-fragmented perspective. For Morin, vital phenomena, including production processes, cannot be understood from isolated disciplines, but rather require a systemic and contextual perspective (Gómez et al., 2015). This implies recognizing the multidimensionality of agroecological processes, understanding that agriculture is not limited to food production, but also builds culture, regenerates soils, strengthens identities, and mobilizes diverse knowledge systems. Considering that complex thinking rejects linearity and simplicity, it allows for the identification of synergies, tensions, and contradictions inherent in agroecological practices.

Thus, the development of agriculture is closely linked to rural development, as highlighted by Manzanal et al. (2011), who, from a theoretical and conceptual perspective, analyze how agroecological processes are integrated into the social, economic, and environmental dynamics of rural territories, considering the territory not only as a geographical area, but as a socially constructed and contested space. In this sense, olive plantations in Alto Ricaurte have become an attraction, not only because of their great capacity to adapt to this region with degraded and arid soils, but because it is currently the only region that has trees with olive production and from which products such as preserved olives, olive oil and olive leaf tea are obtained, thus strengthening the tourist interest in this region and what has become a territorial project that redefines the relationships between actors, resources and spaces, especially in coherence with the adaptive capacity to climate change and the development of agricultural practices, which result in the adequate use of natural resources, which has allowed different actors linked to this agricultural chain to combine the appropriation of the territory, not only from an exclusively production perspective, but also from identity, governance and symbolic recognition as conceived from the agroecological production approach (León-Sicard et al., 2017; Acevedo-Osorio et al., 2024).

The implementation of organic agricultural practices contributes to reducing nutrient leaching, enhancing carbon sequestration, and mitigating both soil erosion and the presence of pesticide residues in water sources (Gamage et al., 2023). From this perspective, the farm is conceived as a self-sufficient ecosystem in which reliance on external inputs is kept to a minimum (Bohórquez Sandoval et al., 2024). One of the core principles of this model is the optimization of nutrient recycling within the production system itself, achieved through strategies such as biological nitrogen fixation and crop rotation. These techniques not only enhance soil fertility but also help preserve its organic matter content (Garcia et al., 2024).

From an agroecological approach, this production system promotes biodiversity conservation, regulates biological cycles, and enhances microbial activity in the soil. By minimizing the need for external inputs, organic agriculture contributes to maintaining ecological balance and strengthening the resilience of agricultural ecosystems (Plazas-Leguizamón and García-Molano, 2014).

In this context, the development of intensive agriculture has led to the progressive depletion of forests and grasslands in recent decades. It is projected that, in the coming years, the expansion of such production systems will exert significant pressure on global biodiversity (Teixeira et al., 2021). A clear example of this impact is the decline in populations of agricultural organisms and microorganisms in Latin America, directly attributed to the intensification of agro-industrial practices (Gupta et al., 2022; Dhuldhaj et al., 2023). In this regard, the adverse effects of intensive agriculture become even more evident when compared to agroecological and organic approaches, considering that the wide diversity of species including birds, mammals, invertebrates, and cultivated flora experiences a decrease in both abundance and specific richness in highly managed agricultural environments (Outhwaite et al., 2022).

Despite the environmental and ecological benefits of organic agriculture, its viability is questioned by sectors that argue it leads to reduced yields. According to the FAO (2025), the productivity of these systems largely depends on the previous agricultural management model, as well as the socioeconomic and environmental context. In industrialized countries, where conventional production predominates and the use of external inputs is high, the transition to organic practices often results in yield reductions, the extent of which varies depending on the intensity of prior input use. Nevertheless, globally, nearly 99 million hectares are devoted to organic agriculture, demonstrating production levels comparable to those of conventional agriculture (Durham and Mizik, 2021; Willer et al., 2025).

Conversely, in tradition rainfed agricultural systems characterized by limited use of synthetic inputs the adoption of organic practices has shown increases in productivity. This suggests that implementing such practices can be a viable strategy to strengthen food security in low-technology settings (Gamiero, 2021). In the case of Latin America, the development of ecological agriculture has followed a different path than in the European Union. While the EU has implemented subsidy policies and financial support since the 1990s to encourage conversion to ecological production, in Latin America, the expansion of organic agriculture has been driven mainly by market demand and the action of non-governmental organizations, cooperatives, and peasant movements (Cei et al., 2024).

Some Latin American countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, and Chile have developed regulations and certification systems to regulate organic production, facilitating access to international markets (Tittonell et al., 2021). However, government support in terms of direct subsidies has been limited compared to the European model. In some Latin American countries, incentives have focused more on technical assistance, participatory certification, and market access than on direct economic compensation for transitioning producers. Despite these differences in promotion policies, ecological agriculture has grown steadily in Latin America, due to its export potential and the recognition of its environmental and socioeconomic benefits (Sabourin et al., 2018). In this sense, the adoption of this productive paradigm has gained importance, particularly as a response to the crisis of conventional neoliberal models, where rural communities seek greater productive autonomy and resilience in the face of climate change (Plazas-Leguizamón and García-Parra, 2017; Colmenares-Cruz et al., 2024).

In the specific case of Colombia, the implementation of crops adapted to new climate conditions is crucial for the adaptation of the agricultural sector, especially under the current scenario of permanent climatic variability, characterized by prolonged droughts and intense floods that affect the productivity of traditional crops (Korres et al., 2016; García-Parra et al., 2020). Therefore, it is urgent to adopt species with greater resistance to these changes, such as the olive tree (Olea europaea L.), which has shown a high capacity to adapt to low water availability and high tolerance to extreme conditions, as reported for the central region of Colombia (Bello et al., 2016). Moreover, the promotion of agroecological systems and crop diversification not only helps mitigate the effects of climate change but also enhances soil conservation, biodiversity, and food security. In this way, the adoption of such practices across different agricultural production systems in Colombia supported by development and research policies can strengthen the resilience of the agricultural sector and improve its long-term sustainability (León-Sicard et al., 2017).

Understanding the momentum of olive cultivation in Colombia requires a careful examination of the research efforts that have contributed to characterizing its behavior under the specific conditions of the regions where the species is currently being grown. Despite being a relatively recent crop in the national agricultural landscape, various studies have emerged focusing on phenological adaptation, interactions with edaphoclimatic conditions, germplasm composition, and soil management processes. Most of these studies have been conducted in the central region of Colombia, particularly in Boyacá, reflecting both institutional interest and the agroecological potential of this crop in the area. However, the approaches adopted by these studies have been diverse, responding to specific academic agendas and illustrating the different phases of understanding the crop. In this context, constructing a chronological systematization of the research carried out makes it possible not only to organize the existing body of knowledge but also to identify thematic trends and areas requiring further investigation. Accordingly, Table 3 compiles the most representative studies on olive cultivation in Colombia, classified according to thematic focus, in order to reflect the evolution of scientific learning over time.

The trajectory of olive cultivation in Colombia, although recent when compared to Mediterranean regions and other Latin American countries, has progressively established itself as an emerging agricultural research field, particularly in the department of Boyacá. Several studies in this region show a gradual shift from initial descriptive and adaptive explorations to more specialized approaches in genetics, phenology, soil science, and microbiology (García-Molano, 2010). This evolution has enabled a more technical understanding of olive cultivation under non-conventional conditions, such as those found in the Cundiboyacense high plateau. However, the thematic concentration on agronomic and microbiological aspects contrasts sharply with the limited academic production on the economic, commercial, and social dimensions that determine the long-term sustainability of the olive value chain in the country.

Since 2014, studies by García-Molano et al. (2013) on the phenological behavior of olives in the Alto Ricaurte region, and Beghé et al. (2015), who conducted a molecular analysis of local germplasm, have offered valuable insights into the adaptive dynamics of Olea europaea L. under tropical high-altitude conditions. These were complemented by research from Bello et al. (2016) and García-Molano et al. (2013), who delved into the olive rhizosphere, revealing complex interactions between root microbiota, pruning systems, and the physicochemical properties of soils. This scientific focus on the rhizospheric environment and crop biology has been key to demonstrating that olive cultivation in Colombia is not only agronomically feasible, but also ecologically strategic, particularly in the framework of climate-smart agriculture.

Nevertheless, from a critical and forward-looking perspective, it is evident that scientific production in Colombia has not yet managed to link technical findings with a broader territorial development agenda. There remains a notable absence of studies addressing the socio-economic development of olive production, the organizational dynamics of producers, the creation of territorial brands, or public policy frameworks needed for scaling up. Despite technical progress, most research remains embedded in experimental frameworks with limited projection toward social innovation or inclusive market access, reducing its potential to drive structural transformations in rural contexts.

From this perspective, it becomes essential to expand the research and development pathway of the sector, integrating olive cultivation into an agroecological framework that values situated knowledge and the role of smallholder farming. The accumulated experience reflected in studies such as Ruiz et al. (2019), which assessed oil quality and cultivar performance under Alto Ricaurte conditions, points to the possibility of developing differentiated products with potential access to specialized markets, both nationally and internationally. However, consolidating this scenario requires a shift toward diversified production models, short commercialization circuits, strong associative processes, and public policies that recognize olive cultivation as a strategic pillar for sustainable rural development in Colombia.