Goji orchard

Direct: 

• Contribution to the decarbonization of the economy, through the generation of clean energy: The cultivation area is located in a forest area, so the entire operation will be isolated from the national electricity grid, that is, all electricity will be produced using solar energy. The dehydration of the berries will be done using a Black Block dehydrator, also powered by solar panels. The installed panels will produce an average of 9.1 MWh of clean energy per year, avoiding the emission of an average of 1.4 tons of CO2 per year.
• Reduction of the ecological footprint of transport: the consumption of goji berries have grown in the European Union in recent years, especially in countries with greater purchasing power (such as Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands). As a consequence of the increase in demand, there has been an increase in the importation of this crop from China and the USA (large producers), which contributes to increasing the carbon footprint due to transport. The increase in local production and distribution will reduce this footprint. 
• Creation of two jobs. 
• Reduced water consumption due to the low water requirement of goji berries (culture adapted to adverse weather conditions), combined with an efficient drip irrigation system powered entirely by solar energy. Efficient management of waste (mostly from pruning) that will be placed between the lines, to transform into organic matter. 
• Certified organic production method: with the PT-BIO-03 certificate, Tasty Fields is a certified goji berry producer, which implies complying with the requirements of Regulation (EC) 834/2007 and Regulation (EC) 889/2008, concerning the organic production method. The company hopes to produce around 60 tonnes of goji berries a year, on a 4.5 ha plot of land. 
• Sustainable forest management: the promoter will be an active agent in the prevention of fires, as the crop will be implemented in a forest area.

Indirect: 

• Promotion of a sustainable food production system with resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and maintain ecosystems, strengthening the capacity to adapt to climate change. 
• Promotion of the local economy through synergies with local and regional producers,as well as other agents of the local economy, contributing to the fixation of the local population.

The story of Tasty Fields began in 2016 when Ana and Dário start looking for land for agriculture. In the next two years, they bought the land and decided to cultivate goji berries in organic production mode. Since then, they also established a contract with a producer that also became their client and committed to buying the whole produce.

Ana Margarida da Cruz Pedro, 40 years old.

Ana has a degree in Economics and an MBA in Accounting, both at the Faculty of Economics of the University of Algarve. She is currently Accounting Manager at Avis Budget Group and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at Tasty Fields, after her experience as Audit Manager at the Grant Thornton & Associates Society and SROC. She has experience in various sectors, namely, Venture Capital Funds, Forwarding, Rent-a-Car, Retail, Metallurgy, among others. She is currently also attending the course of Statutory Auditor, at OROC (Order of Statutory Auditors) in Lisbon.

Dário Alexandre Letras, 40 years old.

Dário graduated in Public Relations and Advertising at Instituto de Novas Profissões/ISEG and has a Post-Graduate degree in Management, with Specialization in Marketing, at INDEG/ISCTE Business School.

He is the CEO of Tasty Fields and is also a freelancer in Digital Marketing. He has experience in the Banking, Telecommunications, Insurance and Digital Marketing Agencies sectors. He also has international experience of 4 years in Switzerland, where he worked in the commercial and information technology areas.

In addition to having a strong entrepreneurial spirit, they both have certified agricultural training as Young Farmer.

In 2018, Ana and Dário set up the company Tasty Fields, with the goal of submitting a Young Farmer application under the PDR 2020, which unfortunately they were unable to obtain due to a delay in the deed of the land.

During this last year, they turned this setback into an opportunity to learn about goji berries and plan the company growth.