Resumen de Factors determining the adoption of organic farming: Evidence from olive growing in Andalusia

Antonio Garrido Almonacid, José Antonio Gómez-Limón Rodríguez , Juan Carlos Rodríguez Cohard , José Domingo Sánchez Martínez

• This paper examines the determinants of organic olive farming adoption in Andalusia, a region where spatial disparities in uptake persist despite overall growth. Using a complete 2024 census of olive plots, linked to administrative records and spatial indicators, we estimate a multilevel logistic regression model that accounts for the hierarchical structure of the data (plots nested within farms and municipalities). The analysis reveals that adoption is strongly associated with plot characteristics (e.g., plot size, cultivar type, slope, soil quality, and distance to the nearest village), farm structure (e.g., farm size, land tenure, and farmer’s proximity to the plot), and territorial features such as institutional capacity and Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) payment structures. By clarifying the agronomic, structural, and institutional drivers of adoption, the results provide a foundation for targeted policies to expand organic farming in underrepresented areas.