Where limits to growth are tangible: the olive sector in Jaén and its bioeconomic future

Abstract The olive sector in Jaén the South of Spain serves as an example what happens when a centuries-old bio-based economy reaches its biophysical limits. Andalusian Bioeconomy Strategy seeks to reform by modernizing it, i.e. investing technological innovation and increasing efficiency mechanization. This paper first considers recent data on before comparing historical evolution with demands 2018 Strategy. comparison yields several results: first, history cultivation province is characterized strong peasantry that continuously grew large scale consisted thousands small farmers; thus, it not typical story land concentration modernization. Second, there potential for conflict between depicts historical, “old” bioeconomy envisioned strategy.