Alexandra Cachia and Peppi Gauci are helping develop new sources of growth and green initiatives in Malta. Melanie Vella shares the green dream.

The Green Innovation award-winning aquaponic systems created by Peppi Gauci at the Bahrija Oasis Malta.

Alexandra Cachia runs campaigns to inform the public how to recycle food and other compostable waste at home.

After recognising the crucial role composting has in reducing our national rubbish heap, Alexandra applied for an EU grant through the Youth in Action programme to raise awareness about composting.

“Around 60 per cent of the rubbish we throw into landfills is compostable,” she explains.

Compost is the breakdown of organic matter. Food like vegetable and fruit peels, eggshells and coffee as well as cardboard and newspapers are examples of compostable material which decompose into rich compost: it’s nature’s black gold.

“These may seem like rubbish to most people, but when added to soil, they act as a natural fertiliser which improves the quality of the soil and adds vital plant nutrients,” she explains.

Everyone can carry out composting, whether they live in a house with a garden or an apartment. Free monthly compost workshops are organised by Alexandra at the Why Not? Creativity Vortex found at Vincent’s Eco-Farm in Mġarr. These workshops are hands-on, offering practical information on how people can compost at home. Compost is a costly resource for anyone who struggles with nutrient-deficient soils, which is a prominent issue for Maltese farmers and gardeners.

Alexandra Cachia demonstrates how organic matter is transformed into rich compost using worms.

Several government and private schools organise school outings for students aged between seven to nine years. The students who visit the Why Not? Creativity Vortex participate in making their own fresh salad and juices, choose which waste is compostable, and tear up newspapers and cardboard to add to the compost bins on the land.

“Children respond well to these interactive experiences and enjoy learning in a natural environment,” says Alexandra.

The land at Vincent’s Eco-Farm was used as a prototype in the regeneration of under-nourished soil.

“The land was depleted into clay with no nutrients. We added compost and layers of decomposing cactus trees, which were donated by the Mġarr Local Council, to fertilise the soil and turn it into a productive field,” explains Alexandra.

The compost campaign reaches its peak with the first-ever Compost Festival to be held on Sunday, July 6 at the Why Not? Creativity Vortex in Mġarr. Entrance is free and visitors are welcome to join Alexandra and her team of dedicated volunteers in composting, learning how to grow their own vegetables, and other workshops.

“We’ll also be launching our compost documentary. Local bands Red Electrick and Manatapu will liven up the evening to entice those who may not be as initially excited about compost as I am,” Alexandra says.

Peppi Gauci is the founder of the Permaculture Malta Research Foundation based at the Baħrija Oasis. He is a visionary agriculturist, dedicated to adapting and implementing permaculture principles to restore the balance of nature in Malta.

Peppi and his team are also consulting with policy-makers from MEPA to introduce ecological agritourism to Malta.

“This specific niche would attract intellectuals interested in contributing to the expanding agricultural sector in Malta,” Peppi says. “Ecological agritourism will have a multiple-win situation for Malta.”

Peppi is working to diversify the established tourism sector in Malta by offering an alternative to the standard consumeristic kind of tourism. Ecological agritourism offers visitors a chance to experience a completely different experience by immersing themselves into agricultural life. This has proven to be socially, environmentally and economically beneficial for both tourists and farmers in other European countries.

“If 100 per cent of tourists today flush the toilet, yet tomorrow this is reduced to 80 per cent, while 20 per cent start using the composting toilets usually found on ecological farms, we would have saved precious water,” explains Peppi.

The policy reform being undertaken by MEPA should support the development of eco-farms which offer agritourism as this will create a green economy.

“We are involved in this unremunerated consultation process because it is our contribution, to the next generation of agriculturists and land-carers,” Peppi says.

The largest percentage of farmers today are over 50 years old, and less of the younger generation are taking their place as the challenges involved are not financially attractive.

It’s time to think outside the box, beyond traditional agricultural work. This type of agritourism will create green jobs and attract tourists from around the world to participate in advancing eco-farming in Malta.

Peppi points out the importance of working hand-in-hand with government to set up training hubs where students are trained to become land stewards in the region. They will have a vested interest to safeguard their farm and to promote the unique features of their particular ecosystems. In effect, more people will be motivated to nurture their land so as to sustain a healthy income from a varied produce as well as from agritourism.

Peppi’s consultation work also focuses on the new environmental technologies available which are not being implemented as yet.

“Solar desalination plants and the recycling of grey and sewage water can revolutionise our agriculture, if implemented together with permaculture design on a regional basis,” he says.

There are several attempts at ecological farms dispersed around the islands, including the Baħrija Oasis. Peppi is in discussion with many farmers to create networks and cooperatives to turn these theories into practice, once the relevant legislative reforms are in place.

“We need farmers, not just for tourism, but to feed us,” Peppi says.

“Agritourism will motivate the next generation of farmers towards green jobs where the potential for producing high- quality, locally-grown produce is continually developing.”