The Institute of Higher Education Majorana of Corigliano Rossano has revolutionized the concept of teaching, transforming its own farm in a center of educational and productive excellence. This project promotes biodiversity and local traditions, receiving awards of national importance. The initiative, which saw the production of extra virgin olive oilis the result of a project that combines education, innovation and valorization of the Calabrian territory.
The director of the institute, Saverio Madeiraenthusiastically and proudly recounts the successes achieved and the fundamental role that this project has had for the school and the local community. «The idea was certainly born from the fact of making available a very important tool to raise awareness of the biodiversity of our territory and all of our products. We have a farm, so In the school we produce extra virgin olive oil and from here the idea of including ourselves in the oil list was born and we also thank Creaolio and the Calabria Region for this”, explains Madera.
The commitment of students and teachers
The Majorana Institute Farm it is not only a production laboratory, but also an open-air classroom where the students of the Agricultural Institute can put their knowledge into practice. «It is certainly a fundamental role, at the center of everything are our students who follow the entire production chain, we are talking about the Agricultural Institute, therefore from cultural techniques to harvesting, transformation and management of the final product», underlines Madera.
This hands-on approach allows students to directly experience every phase of the production process, from cultivation to oil production, up to the use of the finished product in the Hotel Institute. «It is right that our children use products that come from our land and enhance their characteristics», he adds.
The benefits for the school farm are many. «But in the meantime the benefit is to have an organic oil that we produce ourselvestherefore with cultivars that come from the Rossano sweet and from Roggianella, contextualized to the territory”, says Madera.
The quality of the product is also certified by the recent national recognition received. «The award was a turning point because it gave impetus, enthusiasm, awareness of being a very important school and above all it made the kids understand that if you believe in something you can also achieve very important goals».
The award obtained not only confirmed the excellence of the oil produced, but also brought great pride to the local community and the Calabria region. «It gave pride not only to the territory of Corigliano Rossano but to all of Calabria because at that moment we represented Calabria in Italy», continues Wood.
Zero Kilometer Education
One of the main objectives of the project is to raise awareness in the community about the importance of kilometer zero and the quality of local products. “Surely making quality products pays, making quality products has a response. Selling a piece of territory with a school certainly has an added value,” says Madera.
This awareness starts right from schools, educating young people to believe in their own territories and to promote them with pride even outside the Calabria region. Looking to the future, the Majorana Institute has ambitious plans to continue to innovate while respecting the environment and the territory. «Certainly innovation in the sense of respect for the environment, respect for the territory, in the implementation of the practices we use. We have the Igp Olio di Calabria, we are a biocertified company and therefore we are increasingly moving in this direction of biodiversity», declares Madera. The goal is to produce quality oils that respect the environment and promote territorial identity.
The oil map, in particular, is a fundamental tool for making the unique characteristics of the local product known not only to the inhabitants of the area, but also to visitors. «The map promotes it in the sense that it allows you to discover those characteristics that can intrigue not only those who are part of this area but also and above all those who come from outside», he explains. An example of excellence is theMormonsflagship product of the Majorana Institute farm. “Momena is a light fruity, a classic oil that is however produced with cold pressing, with modern technologies and allows us to fully enjoy what is the prevalent characteristic of the Rossano sweet”, says Madera. The quality of Momena oil is the result of careful processing and meticulous care of the olives, demonstrating that the Calabrian lands can produce products of the highest quality.
