Sometimes the greatest opportunities begin where passion meets the land.
For more than 12 years, 𝗘𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮 𝗠𝗲𝗵𝗮𝗷 and her family have dedicated themselves to cultivating their land in the Mehaj neighborhood of Puka. Although Eliona is a psychologist by profession, her heart has always remained closely connected to nature and her family’s agricultural tradition.
Today, the family manages 𝟭 𝗵𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗻𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗲𝘀, cares for 𝟯𝟬 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗵𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀, and sustainably collects and dries wild forest fruits, supplying local customers with high-quality natural products.
Now, with the support of 𝗖𝗡𝗩𝗣 𝗔𝗹𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗮, Eliona is taking the next step.
Through the grant scheme of 𝗜𝗙𝗠 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁, she is establishing a 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗿𝗮𝘀𝗽𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝗳𝗮𝗿𝗺, transforming an innovative idea into a sustainable rural business that will generate new opportunities while respecting the environment.
The investment includes:
🌱 Soil analysis and land preparation
🍓 Raspberry plantation establishment
💧 Installation of an irrigation system
🏡 Farm development and site organization
🎨 Creation of a unique product logo
📱 Promotion through social media and digital marketing
By introducing cultivated forest fruits, the initiative helps diversify local production, promotes sustainable land use, and creates added value from natural resources while reducing pressure on wild harvesting.
“𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘥𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯. 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘶𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘸, 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘥, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥 𝘢 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘶𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘴𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘢𝘨𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦.” — 𝗘𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮 𝗠𝗲𝗵𝗮𝗷
This is another example of how local ideas, when supported with the right knowledge and investment, can create lasting environmental, social, and economic benefits for rural communities.
🍃 𝘛𝘩𝘦 “𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘍𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘔𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘈𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘋𝘳𝘪𝘯 𝘙𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘉𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘯” 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘈𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝘋𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘱𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘈𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘺 (𝘈𝘋𝘈) 𝘢𝘴 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘧 “𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘈𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘢”, 𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘐𝘊𝘌𝘗 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘊𝘕𝘝𝘗 𝘍𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯.
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