What do we want to do?
Oceanum's founders truly believe that Madeira Island has a huge undiscovered sustainability potential for its people and businesses. We want to transform the Island's reality to serve as a global example of good management of soil, water, forest and the sea.
Our mission is to help people and businesses thrive while preserving nature.
Why Madeira?
Madeira is the right place to conduct the necessary experiments to prove sustainable businesses are possible because it has a reasonable infrastructure, a long-term stable political scenario, a lower cost of living in comparison with other European Regions and a strong currency (EUR). These characteristics, among others, create a low-risk scenario for testing business solutions that can truly drive change in future business models.
Madeira is heterogeneous enough to provide different landscapes and a wide variety of local microclimates. Therefore, the local heterogeneity is essential to test nature-based solution methodologies in different scenarios, which increase the number of inputs and responses that can iteratively improve solutions. In other words, it is important to test solutions under different conditions to improve their effectiveness and resilience.
Furthermore, due to the Island's small dimensions, the connections between humans, its forests and the sea are better identified and understood on daily basis. For example, yesterday’s rainfall fills your next morning's sea bath with debris from local forests (and garbage, unfortunately). The winter storms delay supermarkets' product inventory repositioning and you have to wait for basic items. The dry season diminishes agriculture water levels and your crops may fail.
Unfortunately, although nature has a clear impact on people`s life in Madeira, the cause-effect relationship do not seem too clear and widespread among locals. This nature “detachment” has its roots in human last century history, and it could not be different in Madeira.
Human beings have seen a constant improvement in living conditions and easier access to goods, therefore interactions with nature are less necessary on daily basis, which reduces the contact with wild nature to holidays and vacations in controlled environments such as man-made beaches (at least regarding surrounding infrastructure) and tracks along forests.
The science of the benefits of nature contact to humans is quite recent. However, it's only putting method to something millions of people feel daily and that our ancestors knew quite well. It's becoming evident how that connection has a direct impact on our wellbeing. Madeira allows that immersion in nature on a daily basis and it's also the perfect spot to amplify this knowledge.
Agriculture, logging, hunting and fishing were the main activity to provide for Madeira inhabitants in the past. Older locals interviewed by Oceanum, have demonstrated a deeper knowledge of sea tides, species and agriculture techniques than youngsters, for example. Nowadays, Madeira people, mainly the youth, are not interested in agriculture and artisanal fishing anymore. These activities are considered precarious for modern job standards, unprofitable and harmful to the environment, which might be true if they are not conducted properly. However, if well planned and following strategic guidelines, these activities can be transformed into key drivers for changing island reality while tackling climate change.
Oceanum Goals
Oceanum wants to rescue this connection the old island inhabitants had with nature and improve it. We want to give a new perspective on nature-based solutions for people and businesses at Madeira Island.
Adding to the local knowledge the inputs of modern scientific methodologies and practices, we want to prove that Madeira people can benefit from modern progress and comfort while preserving. We are not saying it is easy, on the contrary, this is a challenge. However, time is running out due to climate alterations and action is needed urgently.
Solving this challenge requires organized thinking and planning, therefore Oceanum has created a path to approach this problem.
We have figured out that one of the most important touchpoints between humans, forests and the sea is closer than we think. Sea, forests and humans meet together at the table. All relevant facts of someone’s life start or end at a table. Family reunions, celebrations, business meetings, and political agreements all can happen at a table full of the most exquisite and delicious food.
Food unites people around the table in every culture.
Food comes from the sea, food comes from our forests and land. If we guarantee sustainable food on our tables we positively impact our oceans and forests.
But What Are We Actually Doing?
Oceanum wants to preserve Madeira's Sea, the Laurissilva Forests and the Island Soil. We are going to do this by providing solutions to change people and business relationships with food.
Our guidelines are clear, they are based on United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 13, 14 and 15.
Madeira Island has sectors that can benefit from nature-based solutions to improve its social, environmental and economic performance. Oceanum has solutions for the following sectors:
Aquaculture
Agriculture
Tourism Industry
These solutions generate the necessary cash flow to keep Oceanum running as a sustainable company. Therefore, each time you decide to invest in one of Oceanum's solutions you are contributing to the fight against climate change.
Oceanum also invests its money and time in conservation efforts to raise awareness about climate change and the conservation of Madeira's sea and forest fauna and flora.
If you want to donate or volunteer to help us share more about the stunning nature we have at Madeira, please contact us!