Short Report on our Activity on
Roça Nova Olinda II in 2006
Roça Nova Olinda II in 2006
When at the end of 2005 we started our work on the Plantation Nova Olinda II, it was not much more than an abandoned bush on the sea-shore... the wild vegetation was so dense, that the most part of the Plantation was simply impassable.
But we went ahead believing in this beautiful plot, in
our partners, in our friends, in the future of São Tomé and, of course,
in our own capacities and experience of having worked on the African continent.
First of all, we cleaned and marked the frontiers of the Plantation, an important and necessary measure, because we, as concessionaires, are obliged by the State to avoid illegal occupation of the land that we rent! Therefore we cleaned a land stripe of 5 m around the Plantation, as you can see here:
First of all, we cleaned and marked the frontiers of the Plantation, an important and necessary measure, because we, as concessionaires, are obliged by the State to avoid illegal occupation of the land that we rent! Therefore we cleaned a land stripe of 5 m around the Plantation, as you can see here:
We had immense luck with the infrastructure of the roads inside the Plantation. Under the wild vegetation we found an ancient road, which with relatively little effort we managed to restore completely!
Then, the work on the Plantation itself began – we cleaned it completely to make its further correct agricultural exploration possible!
At that time, the guard's shelter of little dignity was substituted by a house for him.
And now, when we come in what used to be some time ago an impassable bush, and what today is something that we can proudly call a Plantation, we feel satisfied with the results we have achieved.
Compare the photos of the same place with the time difference of less than one year:
The Plantation produces, first of all, bananas and coconuts, but we have also started planting corn and pineapples and made our first, yet modest experience with coffee!
(All the photos were taken at Roça Nova Olinda II during the last 14 months)
Reto Scherraus
Partner-manager of Sociedade Agrícola «Dois Irmãos, Ldª» Santana, São Tomé and Príncipe, December 2006
Partner-manager of Sociedade Agrícola «Dois Irmãos, Ldª» Santana, São Tomé and Príncipe, December 2006