CompOlive Project: Earth Observation for Olive Biomass and Circular Economy

The CompOlive project supports the use of Earth Observation, Machine Learning and digital tools for organic waste management and the circular economy.

The project focuses on the sustainable use of agricultural residues from olive production in Crete. Its main goal is to develop an innovative approach for producing soil conditioner through the composting of olive biomass.

Supporting Green Development in Crete

Climate change, the need for greener production methods and the growth of space technologies are creating new opportunities for agriculture.

In this context, CompOlive promotes the sustainable management of olive residues. These residues can be transformed into useful compost products instead of remaining unused or being treated as waste.

The project was implemented within the framework of RIS3Crete and the Operational Programme “Crete” 2014–2020.

Online Platform and Interactive Map

As part of the project, a specialized online information platform was developed.

The platform includes an interactive map that allows users to estimate the available biomass of their olive groves using advanced Earth Observation methods.

Through the platform, users can also request an on-field shredding and composting service, supporting more efficient use of agricultural residues.

GEOSYSTEMS HELLAS Role in CompOlive

GEOSYSTEMS HELLAS S.A. (GSH) contributed to the project through Earth Observation, WebGIS and Machine Learning activities.

GSH was responsible for:

• identifying and documenting the pilot study area for field sampling
• developing a WebGIS prototype application for the pilot area
• creating an olive tree biomass estimation algorithm using satellite data and Machine Learning techniques
• developing the project website and hosting the CompOlive WebGIS
• designing a booking and payment registration system for the online platform
• establishing an information management system for reservations

These activities helped transform satellite data into practical digital services for olive biomass management.

Project Status and Funding

The CompOlive project has been completed.

The project was co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund of the European Union and Greek national funds through the Operational Programme “Crete” 2014–2020. It was implemented under the action Research and Development by SMEs in sectors of RIS3Crete, with project code KPHP3-0028773.