Vilo

The five stages

Do every task in a stage, and you reach it. Then move on to the next one. Tap a stage to see what to do.

Stage 1 — Getting the basics right

A grove run the usual way, just starting to change. You still plough and spray, but you're cutting out habits that cost money without helping your trees. You're also starting to write down what you do.

A grove run the usual way, just starting to change. You still plough and spray, but you're cutting out habits that cost money without helping your trees. You're also starting to write down what you do.

What you get

  • Less diesel for ploughing
  • Lower herbicide spend
  • Fewer needless sprays
  • A starting point to build from

Soil health

  • Cut branches are chopped up and left on the ground, not burned or hauled away
  • You plough the ground no more than twice a year
  • You've had your soil tested at least once

Chemicals

  • You only spray weed killer right under the trees, not the whole grove
  • You write down how much fertilizer you use, and when
  • You only spray for pests when you've actually seen them, not on a fixed schedule

Wildlife

  • You leave the edges of your fields uncut for part of the year

Water

  • You write down when you water, instead of just doing it out of habit

Keeping track

  • You keep a simple notebook or phone log of what you did and when

Stage 2 — Building the soil

You've stopped ploughing to control weeds. Plants now grow between your tree rows for part of the year. You use less spray and fertilizer, and only when needed. The soil is starting to feel different under your feet.

You've stopped ploughing to control weeds. Plants now grow between your tree rows for part of the year. You use less spray and fertilizer, and only when needed. The soil is starting to feel different under your feet.

What you get

  • Rain soaks in better
  • Less soil washing away
  • Lower fertilizer bill
  • More bees and pollinators
  • Less need to water

Soil health

  • Plants (sown or wild) grow between your tree rows for at least 3–4 months a year checked by satellite
  • You've stopped ploughing, or only do one light pass where it's truly needed
  • Cut branches are chipped and spread on the soil, not just left in a pile
  • You add compost, manure, or olive waste to your soil at least once every two years

Chemicals

  • You don't spray weed killer on the whole grove before weeds even appear
  • You choose how much fertilizer to use from a soil test, not the same amount everywhere

Wildlife

  • The plants between your rows include at least one kind that flowers, to help bees
  • You don't spray for pests while your olive trees are flowering

Water

  • Before the dry season, you mow (not plough) the plants between rows, so they still cover the soil but use less water

Keeping track

  • You test your soil every year, so you can see how it’s changing

Stage 3 — Working with nature

Plants cover the ground between your tree rows all year, and you look after them on purpose. You use almost no sprays. Pests cause less trouble, and you can see the soil has gotten better in parts of your grove.

Plants cover the ground between your tree rows all year, and you look after them on purpose. You use almost no sprays. Pests cause less trouble, and you can see the soil has gotten better in parts of your grove.

What you get

  • Richer, healthier soil
  • Near-zero spray costs
  • Fewer pests, naturally
  • Better protection in dry years
  • A harvest you can see improve

Soil health

  • Plants cover the ground between your tree rows all year (mowed, never removed) checked by satellite
  • You never plough
  • All your cut branches and any other organic waste go back onto your soil every year
  • Soil tests show your soil has been getting richer over the last 3 years

Chemicals

  • You use no weed killer at all — mowing and ground cover keep weeds down instead
  • You only use approved organic or natural treatments for pests and disease

Wildlife

  • You've made a home for helpful insects — a hedge, an insect hotel, or a mix of flowering plants
  • You've seen helpful insects like ladybirds in your grove, and let them deal with pests first

Water

  • You give your trees a little less water than usual, at the right times, based on how wet the soil actually is
  • You catch rainwater or shape the land so water soaks in instead of running off

Keeping track

  • You track your harvest each year, so you can see how your changes are paying off
  • You check for pests and helpful insects a few times a season, with traps or just by looking

Stage 4 — Caring for the land

Your whole grove works together like nature intended. The soil is darker and healthier, and you can easily find earthworms. You use simple data to guide your choices, and you're starting to look into carbon and nature payment programs.

Your whole grove works together like nature intended. The soil is darker and healthier, and you can easily find earthworms. You use simple data to guide your choices, and you're starting to look into carbon and nature payment programs.

What you get

  • Visibly healthier soil
  • Zero input costs
  • Copes better in dry years
  • Clearer choices, backed by data
  • Doors open to carbon & premium buyers

Soil health

  • Your soil is as rich as, or richer than, the best groves in your region
  • You have your own composting system, using cut branches and other organic waste
  • You check how well your soil soaks up water at least once a year

Chemicals

  • You use no factory-made fertilizer — your soil gets what it needs from compost, cover plants, and healthy soil life
  • You haven't used any factory-made pesticide in the last 3 years

Wildlife

  • You have hedges, nesting boxes, or native trees and bushes around your grove checked by satellite
  • You've noted more helpful wildlife showing up over time

Water

  • You know how much water it takes to make each kilo of oil, and your system has been checked for waste
  • In dry years, your harvest holds up better than most groves nearby

Keeping track

  • You use satellite images to see how healthy and green your grove is through the year checked by satellite
  • You look back at your data each season and use it to guide what you do next
  • You're getting ready for, or already part of, a program that checks and rewards your carbon or nature work

Stage 5 — Leading the way

One of the best groves in the region. Your soil keeps getting better every year, and your grove now takes in more carbon than it releases. Other farmers visit to learn from you — and you earn from more than just olives and oil.

One of the best groves in the region. Your soil keeps getting better every year, and your grove now takes in more carbon than it releases. Other farmers visit to learn from you — and you earn from more than just olives and oil.

What you get

  • Absorbs more carbon than it releases
  • A home for wildlife
  • Helps refill groundwater
  • Can earn carbon credits
  • Access to premium buyers

Soil health

  • Each year, your grove takes in more carbon than it releases — confirmed by satellite data or direct measurement checked by satellite
  • Your soil stays rich year after year, and keeps getting better or holding steady

Chemicals

  • Your grove feeds itself — you no longer need to bring in fertilizer from outside

Wildlife

  • Your grove is a safe path and home for wildlife, and you see more species arriving over time checked by satellite
  • You work with researchers or a university who study the wildlife on your land

Water

  • Your grove helps refill local groundwater — rain soaks in well, nothing runs off, and you barely need to water

Keeping track

  • Each season, you bring together satellite data and your own soil, plant, and water checks checked by satellite
  • You help other farmers as they work through these same stages
  • You can now sell verified carbon credits, or sell your oil to buyers who pay more for it