Quinta da Fornalha is a traditional multifunctional farm in Portugal that was facing bankruptcy but adopted a holistic business model of organic farming, agricultural product processing, and eco-tourism to find success. The farm grows fruits like figs, olives, and carob organically and processes them into gourmet products. It also offers rural tourism through self-catering houses. This innovative approach helped save the 250-year-old farm and roots while providing income for the next generation in a sustainable way.

1. SmartFarmer
Lifelong
Learning
Programme
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.
Smartfarming practices in Portugal
Quinta da Fornalha
A successful story of organic farming, processing of
agriculture products and eco-tourism
Smartfarmer International Conference
Improving skills for Smartfarming as an innovative tool for rural development
and economic growth
Limassol, Cyprus, 27 October 2015

2. SmartFarmer
Lifelong
Learning
Programme
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.
Welcome to
Quinta da Fornalha
When you do what you like, working is fun

3. SmartFarmer
Lifelong
Learning
Programme
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.
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!

4. SmartFarmer
Lifelong
Learning
Programme
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.
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

5. SmartFarmer
Lifelong
Learning
Programme
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.
Around Quinta da Fornalha

6. SmartFarmer
Lifelong
Learning
Programme
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.
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”.

7. SmartFarmer
Lifelong
Learning
Programme
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.
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.

8. SmartFarmer
Lifelong
Learning
Programme
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.
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.

9. SmartFarmer
Lifelong
Learning
Programme
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.
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.

10. SmartFarmer
Lifelong
Learning
Programme
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.
 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…

11. SmartFarmer
Lifelong
Learning
Programme
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.
 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…

12. SmartFarmer
Lifelong
Learning
Programme
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.
 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.

13. SmartFarmer
Lifelong
Learning
Programme
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.
 Eco-tourism

14. SmartFarmer
Lifelong
Learning
Programme
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.
 (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/FprDfgZWebE
https://youtu.be/3olYb5cwTmk

15. SmartFarmer
Lifelong
Learning
Programme
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.
Thank you for your attention
Alexandra Mendonça
alexandra.mendonca@rcdi.pt