The Ager Foundation Promoting of Agro and Eco Tourism in Gozo
Jon Howe : International Relations I
This page has been restored and archived as supplemental reading for this course. The complete reading list is available from Professor Howe's office or online in the /howe/ directory. Prof. Howe is a partner in Jules & Howe, the online promotional agency working for international animal rights and marketers of animal friendly products. Recent awards include the Maxxie for the work on the dog bed manufacturer/retailer, GoodNightDog.com, maker and seller of eco-friendly pet beds and related products. Their products include beds made from designer fabrics and simple elegant designs. Other projects include fundraising and awareness programs for some of the most endangered wildlife on the African continent. Sustainability themes run throughout the projects that J&H take on, often with student assistance - student volunteers are encouraged to apply for interships.
Content is from the site's archived pages.
Who We Are:
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Our Responsible Tourism Policy |
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Meaning of Ager |
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Our mission is to educate, promote and improve the quality of the life and the sustainable rural development by offering hands-on experiences with the locals. The project aims to create a tourism infrastructure while encouraging new entrepreneurial activities in rural areas of the island of Gozo by: Capitalising on a more significant sustainable advantage of Gozo as a tourist destination and a unique selling proposition: the people, the hospitality tradition, the culture and countryside and its ecology; Smoothening out the seasonality pattern of Gozo tourism, as agro tourism in Gozo is basically an all weather product; Directing tourists to the countryside, thus allowing for a less biased geographical distribution of the tourist population in the island-region; Marketing Gozo as a unique destination while providing a focus of action and debate for participants (both service providers and service users) to promote and implement the values of respect towards traditions and culture in an ecologically sustainable society. |
Basically the word Ager has two meanings. The Latin Etymology of Ager means a field. We like this meaning since it indicates that this project is directly related with human’s work and its direct connection with nature and mother earth. The second meaning of Ager derives from the Romance meaning ‘to act’ and ‘to be doing’. This is also a very suitable meaning for the Ager Foundation since our services focus on giving a hands-on experience to our guests since we encourage them to take an active part in the events.
The Ager Foundation became a a member of the Slow Food Movement in 2007. The Slow Food Movement is a non-profit, eco-gastronomic member-supported organization that was founded in 1989 to counteract fast food and fast life, the disappearance of local food traditions and people’s dwindling interest in the food they eat, where it comes from, how it tastes and how our food choices affect the rest of the world. To do that, Slow Food brings together pleasure and responsibility, and makes them inseparable. Today, we have over 100,000 members in 132 countrie |
What we offer
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Programme: From 09.00 till 13:30
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How to book:
Do not hesitate to contact us for further details and information about availability. We advice an advanced booking of at least 1 week.
You can book via e-mail or telephone indicating the number of participants (adults and children) and the preferred day/s. We will do our best to see if any of our host farmers are available on the date/s of your choice.
These hands-on, experiences are not for large groups; however preferably the minimum number of persons is 6 persons. If you are less than this number you can book just the same and we will do our best to book you up with another small group or couple.
If you or any member of the family/friends is vegetarian, please let us know to arrange a vegetarian lunch.
It is advisable to wear your most comfortable clothing and good walking shoes.
For more information on this and other services offered by the Ager Foundation
phone Victor on +356 7901 7017
or Miriam on +356 9980 6099
or Tel/Fax on +356 21564378
Experience the taste and the preparation of natural Gozo food Gozitan cuisine has been influenced by the people who made their home here over the centuries, from the Arabs, Italians and Spanish to the French and British. Traditional Maltese cooking has distinct touches of the Sicilian and Moorish. The Ager foundation, being a member of the Slow Food International, strives to preserve traditional and local cuisine and promotes farming of plants, seeds and livestock characteristics of the local ecosystem. Joining one of our cultural tours will give you the opportunity to discover what local villagers have to offer: traditional pasta dishes garnished with home made sauces followed by rich sweets. One should mention in this regard ravioli (ravjul) with fresh sheep cheese - just as an example. |
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Gozitan cheeselets are an important item in our people's diet. A cheeselet on a pancake (gbejna fuq ftira) is also popular. Take part in mashing the fresh cheeselets to make ordinary cheese-cakes (pastizzi) and/or the traditional round cheese-cakes (qassatat) or a pie (qassata) with beans or pumpkin according to the season. Traditional home-made blood pudding is also a curiosity one should not miss to taste. Home made wine is another option.
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Take an active part in the food preservation process of dried fruits such as dried figs (tin imqadded), and its by-product "tin tac-cappa" (lumps of figs) as well as dried tomatoes and other home-made items of food for many Gozitan families. Join your host in acquiring some of the ingredients mainly from the village neighbourhood.
Obviously you won't go home hungry either!
You will get to savour the very best of local food and drink which you prepared together with your host.
Price:
All this for EUR 18.50 per adult and EUR9.25 per child under 12 (including taxes)
Programme: From 09.30 till 13:30
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How to book:
Do not hesitate to contact us for further details and information about availability. We advice an advanced booking of at least 1 week.
You can book via e-mail or telephone indicating the number of participants (adults and children) and the preferred days. We will do our best to see if any of our hosts are available on the date/s of your choice.
These hands-on experiences are not for large groups; however preferably the minimum number of persons is 2 and not more than 4.
If you or any member of the family/friends is vegetarian, please let us know to arrange a vegetarian lunch.
It is advisable to wear your most comfortable clothing.
For more information on this and other services offered by the Ager Foundation
phone Victor on +356 7901 7017
or Miriam on +356 9980 6099
or Tel/Fax on +356 21564378