Looking back, it’s hard to believe that all of this happened in just one week. The in-person Phito plenary meeting is always one of the busiest moments of the year, but also one of the most rewarding and productive. After so many online sessions, meeting face to face always brings a boost of energy and sets new ideas in motion.
Land fragmentation and Çaj Mali: Filming for the Phito Stories
At the beginning of November, Jonas and Lina from Alerce picked up the Phito Van from ÖMKi in Hungary and drove it to Albania. There, they met Teun, Anton, and Bart from Cambisol to film a new episode of the Phito Stories. For three days, the team crisscrossed the country, from the coastal area of Divjakë, through the hills around Lushnjë and Berat, all the way to the stunning valley of the Vjosa River near the Greek border.
Along the way came farmer interviews, fragmented landscapes, many drone shots, great food and wine, and of course plenty of Çaj Mali, the traditional Albanian mountain tea. Thanks to Suela and Ilir from our local partner QTTB, we were not only able to capture the stories of smallholder farmers in Albania, but also discovered some truly amazing places in their beautiful home country.
We were even invited to park the Phito Van and pitch our tent at the wonderful Pupa Winery for a night. This was easily one of the most unique spots we’ve stayed at with the Phito Van so far.
Agricultural projects and new connections: Joining the ICOALS Conference
Meanwhile, Luuk, Abraham, and Glory from Wageningen University attended the ICOALS conference to present the Phito project. The event offered a great opportunity to learn about other inspiring initiatives in the region and to build new connections for future collaboration. On Wednesday, the film crew joined the rest of the Phito team for a field trip organised as part of the conference programme. After a visit to an olive oil producer, the group continued on to one of Albania’s largest greenhouses — a striking contrast to the small, fragmented plots we had seen during the previous days of filming.
Fruitful conversations and new ideas: Planning the next steps
At the end of the week, we held our plenary meeting at the Agricultural University of Tirana, our host institution for this year. We are in the midst of an especially exciting phase for the project: the alpha version of the Phito App is scheduled for release at the beginning of next year, meaning it will soon be publicly available. Sharing the app with you is something we are truly excited about. During the plenary sessions, we discussed the roadmap for the coming months — from finalising app development and planning the rollout to looking ahead at the steps that will follow the alpha release. Spending three days together in person was invaluable for aligning our work, gathering new ideas, and setting everything in motion. Make sure to sign up for our newsletter and be among the first to hear about the app launch.
Female perspectives and good company: Recording the Phito Radio Show
After many inspiring sessions, we wrapped up the week with another highlight: recording a new episode of the Phito Radio Show. On the campus of the Agricultural University of Tirana, in our beloved van, surrounded by wonderful people, delicious food, and, of course, steaming cups of Caj Mali, we brought another story to life. This time, Heleen from Corepage and Lina joined Teun as co-hosts for an engaging episode on a very important topic: “Women in Agriculture.” Together, we gathered the women (and a few men) of the Phito project to share their experiences and perspectives, discuss the barriers women face in agriculture, explore ways to overcome these challenges, and highlight opportunities for the future.
You can watch and listen to the full episode also on Spotify.
