Πρακτικές Smartfarming στην Πορτογαλία

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LifelongLearningProgramme

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.

Smartfarming practices in PortugalQuinta da Fornalha

A successful story of organic farming, processing of agriculture products and eco-tourism

Smartfarmer International ConferenceImproving skills for Smartfarming as an innovative tool for rural development

and economic growth

Limassol, Cyprus, 27 October 2015

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Welcome toQuinta da Fornalha

When you do what you like, working is fun

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Why Quinta da Fornalha?

It is a traditional family multifunctional farm It is engaged in organic farming for more then 30 years The second generation is now taking the farm management They have an holistic approach: organic farming, processing of

agriculture products and eco-tourism They keep the tradition, but they are innovative …. and they

look happy!

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Where is Quinta da Fornalha? The farm is in Algarve, mostly known as a mass tourism

destination…… but Algarve is more than that:

The farm is located in the countryside and it is partly included in the Natural Reserve of Castro Marim, a protected wetland...… and it is only 3 km away from the beach and 6 km from the Spanish border

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Around Quinta da Fornalha

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An Inspiring Project (1)

After 250 years in the family, Fornalha, a traditional Mediterranean multi-orchard family farm, was bankrupting. Leave it? Sell it? NO. “These are our roots and they are valuable: high quality raw materials, wonderful nature and weather, motivated and dreamy team...”

A different paradigm was required, “to save the past knowledge, build our own present and provide a healthy farm for the next generation”.

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An Inspiring Project (2)

The family decided to implement a holistic and multi-business model (instead of a specialised approach), using each resource for the best suitable purpose and finding a compromise between economical needs, high quality standards, environmental values and own personal satisfaction and happiness.

The business model combines organic farming, processing of farm products and eco-tourism.

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Organic Farming

The farm has an area of 26.94 hectares and it is engaged in organic multifunctional production.

Major products are: figs (lampo variety), olives (galega and manzanilla varieties) and carob. Quinces and oranges are also produced.

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Organic Farming Major challenge: how to make small orchards (around 6 ha

each) profitable? High quality standards for fresh fruits Processing products to add value Appropriate marketing efforts, addressing national and

foreign markets

Major options: Figs (fresh and dried) are entirely sold to foreign markets;

part of the production is processed to make sophisticated gourmet products;

Olives are processed to make olive oil and gourmet products;

Carob (raw) is sold to a certified organic processor; the farm processes directly a small part of the production to make gourmet products;

Other fruits (quince, orange) are processed to make gourmet products.

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Processing: where Organic & Gourmet meet

The farm has a small processing unit and produces a diverse variety of traditional and trendy products.

Products are available on the farm shop and trough a multilingual on line shop (Portuguese, English, Spanish and German): http://www.loja.quinta-da-fornalha.com/

Figs: organic fig jam, organic fig chutney, fig truffles with dark chocolate, whole figs in ginger and orange zest syrup…

http://www.loja.quinta-da-fornalha.com/

http://www.loja.quinta-da-fornalha.com/

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Processing: where Organic & Gourmet meet Olives and carobs: organic olive conserve, olive oil, carob &

almond spread (an original and unique recipe for spread)…

Quince and wild harvestings: organic quince cream and jelly…

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Eco-tourism 6 Rural self-catering houses - traditional farm houses were

recovered and provide accommodation for couples, families or small groups of friends. Overall capacity is 30 pax.

Collaboration with local off-road tourism operators - 30 to 60 tourists per week, in the peak season, to visit the farm and taste and buy the farm products.

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Eco-tourism

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(Happy) Ending…

The recovering process was started in 2008 and the project was co-financed by PRODER (programme supporting rural development);

Currently the farm employs 6 permanent workers (young lady farmer + 5 employees);

The farm exports most of the fig production and they participate regularly on Organic and Gourmet International Fairs to promote the farm products (e.g. BioFach 2013 in Nuremberg/Germany, Salone del Gusto 2014, Torino/Italy)

The young lady owner married the chef (cook of the processing unit) and they have 2 sons…

Videos: https://youtu.be/FprDfgZWebEhttps://youtu.be/3olYb5cwTmk

https://youtu.be/FprDfgZWebE



https://youtu.be/3olYb5cwTmk

https://youtu.be/3olYb5cwTmk

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Thank you for your attention

Alexandra Mendonç[email protected]

Πρακτικές Smartfarming στην Πορτογαλία

Education

Transcript of Πρακτικές Smartfarming στην Πορτογαλία