Project
With our Majorcado project we can make a small but effective contribution to CO2 reduction, bee conservation and sustainability in Europe
The idea
We have long been concerned with issues such as environmental protection, CO2 pollution, organic farming and healthy food. We are responsible for our earth and want to take over this responsibility. This gave rise to the idea of planting trees to sequester carbon on the one hand, but also to do something for our health and to create a habitat for bees, as they are particularly endangered by pesticide use and pests, but are extremely important from an economic point of view.
Avocado cultivation in Europe is difficult and has therefore only been realized in small quantities so far. The majority of the European cultivation falls on Spain, whereby avocado plantations on Mallorca are of little importance in terms of quantity compared to the mainland, although the island is excellently suited for such cultivation in large parts due to its soil and climate quality.
We have felt connected to Mallorca for many years, so we are aware of the ecological and economic challenges the island has to face for a sustainable future and we decided to realize our project idea here. Gleichzeitig wollen wir das aus dem Projekt resultierende Wissen mit einer breiten Öffentlichkeit und insbesondere den nachfolgenden Generationen teilen und zu diesem Zweck Seminare zum Bienenschutz und zur gesunden Ernährung an Schulen abhalten.
The company
As a non-profit limited liability company (in formation), we do not pursue profit-oriented goals but focus exclusively on research in the field of cultivation of exotic fruits in Europe to reduce the carbon footprint and the health benefits of the fruits for us humans, as well as the preservation of the honey bee, which is so important for the global economy.
All donations and income will be used exclusively for the implementation and further development of the project, the research associated with the project and the resulting research results.
Grants (donations) are spent on, among other things, the construction of research rooms and funds, the new acquisition of trees, the monitoring of irrigation, the acquisition and maintenance of bee colonies and for research purposes in the field of bee conservation, ecological agriculture with exotic trees and the possibility of water conservation.
All research results resulting from the project, as well as logs of tree water use and yield, will be published and made available to our supporters.
As a non-profit limited liability company, we will be entitled to issue donation receipts (donation certificates), which will allow tax deduction for the donor and thus provide a kind of return for the donation.
The background
Motivation
Climate change, environmental protection, healthy nutrition and bee mortality have long been issues we have been concerned with and want to advocate for. Bees contribute significantly to the continuity of our livelihood by pollinating our crops, but are at great risk from pests and the high use of pesticides. In Spain in particular, bees are being deprived of honey and replaced with sugar, so bee mortality is particularly severe here.<br /> As vegetarians and vegans, but also as meat-eating consumers, we want to eat healthy and attach importance to healthy food and its origin. The avocado is rightly considered a superfood due to its healthy ingredients. However, the majority of the fruits available in Europe come from South America and therefore had to travel very long transport routes until they reach the European trade, which results in an extremely high CO2 pollution. Likewise, their water consumption is under criticism in these warm and dry countries, where there is already a water shortage. All this motivated us to look for a way to effectively contribute to all these issues.
Project
On a plot of land of about 43,000 square meters in the rural district of the municipality of Llubi, we want to plant about 2000 avocado trees in cooperation with a local gardener and settle about 150 bee colonies with a local beekeeper. In addition, a large field of lavender and some fruit trees are to be planted to offer the bees varied feeding places. The bees will also be allowed to keep most of their honey to ensure their survival in winter.<br /> The irrigation of the avocado trees should be under the aspect of extreme water saving by using intelligent drip irrigation with soil sensors, connected to a solar power controlled computer system, which only releases water to the soil when water is really needed. The project will also be made available to universities and other research institutions in the fields of organic agriculture, nutrition and bees for research purposes to promote the cultivation of exotic fruits in Europe for climate protection reasons and the protection of the honey bee.
Realization
To realize the project we want to cooperate with local beekeepers and German bee institutes and settle about 100 -150 bee colonies, which on the one hand pollinate the trees and on the other hand are available for research purposes (e.g. to fight the warro mite). Also. we need to have a fence built around the property and paths constructed through the avocado plantation to make it accessible for visitors, research work, etc. In order to be able to guarantee research work, e.g. in the form of doctoral theses, two guest apartments and a seminar room are to be built on the finca within the framework of an applied for building permit, in order to be able to provide scientists or research institutions with an inexpensive overnight accommodation and a room for work and research. The solar-powered computer system with soil sensors for soil moisture testing is to be installed and regularly maintained by a specialist company. The avocados are to be sold in cooperation with hotels and restaurants, but at the same time they are to be given to schools as a break snack for healthy eating campaigns.
Location selection
A good location is one of the most important success factors, also in agriculture. The choice of the ideal location under ``Green Environment`` aspects was therefore specifically examined by us. The land we chose for the implementation of the project is located on an agricultural area of the municipality of Llubi, which has always been used for agriculture and can therefore be used for the cultivation of avocado trees. The property also has three wells for irrigation and an old barn that can be converted into a warehouse. The property is centrally located is star-shaped from all parts of the island and can be reached in about 40 minutes from Palma airport. Parking facilities for visitors can also be built. However, the decisive advantages of the Llubi location are the sufficiently large agricultural area, the surrounding agricultural land and the fact that Llubi has a strong connection to bees, as it is home to a large number of beekeepers who organize an annual honey fair in Llubi.
Majorcado Festival
Starting with the first fruit harvest, we plan to organize a ``Majorcadofest`` once or twice a year in the sense of an ``Avocadoday`` on the plantation, to which invitations will be sent out via local and European media, the project website and social media channels. The Majorcadofest will serve to publicize and expand the project. In addition, supporters, partners and guests will receive lots of information about the project, the bee colonies, the avocado as a superfood and the possibility of its cultivation in Europe and the associated CO2 reduction. All participants of the festival will have the opportunity to visit the whole plant, to talk to scientists and our beekeeper and to enjoy culinary delicacies around the healthy avocado. Our partners can also present themselves, talk to other supporters, distributors, customers and visitors, exchange ideas and expand their network.
Support
In order for us to be able to fully implement the project, we naturally need partners and supporters. Therefore, we are looking for people, institutions and companies who care about environmental protection, climate neutrality, sustainability, the preservation of bees and healthy food. It is also extremely important to us to make the project available to schools, universities and other research institutions for research work in the field of ecological agriculture, cultivation of exotic fruits with water conservation in Europe and bee health, in order to strengthen the idea of environmental protection among children and adults and to stimulate research in the field of ecological cultivation of exotic fruits in the sense of environmental and climate protection in Europe, for which we want to make our plantation as well as two guest apartments and a seminar room available free of charge. You can support us with a monetary donation, the symbolic purchase of an avocado tree or a bee colony, or by becoming a project member. Every support counts and will be acknowledged with a donation receipt (after recognition of the gGmbH in Germany).
