Becoming
Carbon-Neutral
At Savid, one of our primary focuses and concerns is the Environment.
Climate change has had a tremendous impact on our production, and each year natural disasters have become more challenging to overcome. That's why we have a plan and promise to make Savid carbon neutral by 2024.
Protecting Forests
When we first started as a company, we pledged that any natural virgin forests would remain untouched. Not only do these serve as a natural protective barrier against natural disasters, but they are also the homes to many wild animals and provide us with clean air.
Solar Project
In 2015 we switched our entire irrigation systems to solar power.
Currently, we have 3.646 solar panels and counting.
So far, we have lowered our fuel consumption by 62%.
Being Self-Sufficient
And currently, since 2020, we have been working on setting up our bio-fermentation factories. With them, we will go from partly producing our own fertiliser to being entirely self-sufficient. In Addition, making these fertilisers also known as “Biol", will reduce the high amounts of burning fossil fuels that come with the transportation of imported fertilisers. We would also reduce waste from the packaging materials such as artificial plastics and cardboard, which also travel hundreds and thousands of miles.
Better Packaging and Recycling Practises
Together with our clients, we are looking at better packaging and recycling practises. For example, some of our customers use IFCO trays instead of cardboard boxes. Others use compostable or biodegradable cluster bags. More and more clients are moving away from plastic bags and replacing them with stickers.
Managing our
Water Footprint
Bananas naturally consume a lot of water, and as we know, water is a limited resource.
In recent years, water availability has reduced substantially. Our rivers are drying up, and natural periods of drought are extending and becoming unmanageable. At Savid, we have always done our best to manage water efficiently, but now more than ever we must find innovated ways of maximising the use of our water.
Irrigation Systems
Our farms have a precision irrigation system, this is so that water doesn't washout our soils of essential minerals needed for our crops to grow. To be precise as possible, when irrigation is carried out, the amount of rainwater in millimetres is taken into account to guarantee the best use of water. Through our innovative irrigation systems, we have managed to save over 10 Million gallons of water per year. By abiding to these strict measures, we have contributed to happier soils for our plants and a higher quality product.
When we first started savid, we chose to try the sprinkler irrigation system on our first farm. It ended up saving 50% more water than the traditional flooding systems.
We then tried the drip irrigation system in our second farm and found it to be one of the most efficient ways to irrigate banana plants, as it guarantees saving up to 70% more water than the traditional flooding systems.
In addition, we also use Kudsu and other cover crops to reduce the amount of evaporation in our soils. These crops also serve other purposes such as fertilisers and minimise soil erosion.
Protecting our
Bio-Diversity
From Savid's beginnings, we have always been determined to preserve and protect our farms' natural biodiversity.
Protecting it allows ecosystems to provide us with vital services such as: pollination, seed dispersal, climate regulation, water purification, nutrient cycling, and so much more.
Protecting our Fauna
From the early stages of our project, Biodiversity was planned to maintain the environment which preserves endemic species that are currently and could potentially be endangered. Up till 2022, we have discovered over 21 species on our farm, of which: 3 are considered vulnerable and 18 are registered as protected.
The burrowing owl is a small, long-legged owl found throughout open landscapes of North and South America.
The zenaida dove is a member of the bird family Columbidae, which includes doves and pigeons.
The Antillean palm swift is a small swift. It has distinctive black-and-white markings on its underparts, rump, and throat.
The cane toad, also known as the giant neotropical toad or marine toad, is a large, terrestrial true toad native to South and mainland Central America
The broad-billed tody (Todus subulatus) is a species of bird in the family Todidae, and one of two Todus species found on Hispaniola, along with the narrow-billed tody.
The common moorhen, also known as the waterhen or swamp chicken, is a bird species in the rail family. It is distributed across many parts of the Old World.
The black-crowned tanager or black-crowned palm-tanager is a species of bird of the family Phaenicophilidae, which was formerly placed in the family Thraupidae.
The Hispaniolan lizard cuckoo is a species of cuckoo in the family Cuculidae. It is endemic to the island of Hispaniola.
The American kestrel, also called the sparrow hawk, is the smallest and most common falcon in North America.
Chilabothrus striatus, the Hispaniolan boa, is a species of snake in the family Boidae. The species is endemic to Hispaniola.
Anolis cybotes, the large-headed anole, Tiburon stout anole, or Hispaniolan stout anole, is a species of anole endemic to the Tiburon Peninsula of Haiti.
The palmchat is a small, long-tailed passerine bird, the only species in the genus Dulus and the family Dulidae endemic to the Caribbean island of Hispaniola.
The black-crowned night heron, or black-capped night heron, is a medium-sized heron found throughout a large part of the world, including parts of Europe, Asia, and America.
The Hispaniolan woodpecker is a medium-sized woodpecker endemic to the Caribbean island of Hispaniola. It is a species with a bold yellow-and-black barred back, and a red crown.
The gray kingbird or grey kingbird, also known as pitirre, petchary, or white-breasted kingbird is a passerine bird.
The tricolored heron, is a small species of heron native to coastal parts of the Americas
Epilobocera haytensis, also known in Dominican Spanish as jaiba de río, is a freshwater crab endemic to the Caribbean island of Hispaniola.
Celestus warreni, commonly known as Warren's galliwasp or the giant Hispaniolan galliwasp, is a species of lizard in the family Anguidae.
The black-necked stilt is a locally abundant shorebird of American wetlands and coastlines. It is found from the coastal areas of California through much of the interior western United States
The great egret, also known as great white heron is a large, widely distributed egret, with four subspecies found in Asia, Africa, the Americas, and southern Europe.
The Hispaniolan oriole is a species of bird in the family Icteridae. A sleek forest bird that sometimes ventures into gardens and parks in search of flowers and fruit
Protecting our Flora
Historically, certain areas of the farm have natural forests and lagoons. These areas have been left untouched and are now sanctuary to multiple of these wild animal species. Not only are they a sanctuary to animals but to different kinds of plants and trees. Within the farm, you can find over 34 species of plants of which 30 are native flora, 2 are endemic, and 1 was introduced not so long ago as a reforestation effort.
Samanea saman, also known as the rain tree, is a species of flowering tree in the pea family, Fabaceae, now in the Mimosoid clade and is native to Central and South America.
Typha domingensis, known commonly as southern cattail or cumbungi, is a perennial herbaceous plant of the genus Typha.
The African tulip tree (Spathodea campanulata) is an evergreen tree native to West Africa. It has been introduced throughout the tropics, and, has naturalised in many parts of the Pacific.
Senna atomaria is a deciduous shrub or a small tree with a light, open, spreading crown; it can grow from 2 - 12 metres tall.
Calophyllum bracteatum is a species of flowering plant in the Calophyllaceae family. It is found in Sri Lanka where it is known as ගුරු කින by local people.
Gliricidia sepium, often simply referred to as its genus name Gliricidia, is a medium size leguminous tree belonging to the family Fabaceae.
Vachellia macracantha is a species of tree in the family Fabaceae. Its native range spans from southern Florida to South America.
Muntingia is a genus of plants in the family Muntingiaceae, comprising only one species, Muntingia calabura, and was named in honour of Abraham Munting.
Bambusa bambos, the giant thorny bamboo, Indian thorny bamboo, spiny bamboo, or thorny bamboo, is a species of clumping bamboo native to southern Asia.
Citharexylum fruticosum is a beautiful small tree with long tassels of richly scented white flowers. Flowers are pendant and cover the tree from spring to fall.
Azadirachta indica, commonly known as neem, nimtree or Indian lilac, and in Nigeria called dogoyaro or dogonyaro, is a tree in the mahogany family Meliaceae.
Roystonea is a genus of eleven species of monoecious palms, native to the Caribbean Islands, and the adjacent coasts of the United States (Florida).
Catalpa longissima is a semi-deciduous tree with a large but open crown. Most catalpas begin flowering after roughly three years, and produce fruit after about five years.
Cordia laevigata can be a shrub, or a tree with a dense, rounded crown. Usually growing 4 - 8 metres tall, it is reported to sometimes reach 20 metres.
Tamarind (Tamarindus indica) is a leguminous tree bearing edible fruit that is indigenous to tropical Africa. The genus Tamarindus is monotypic, meaning that it contains only this species.
Momordica charantia is a tropical and subtropical vine of the family Cucurbitaceae, widely grown in Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean for its edible fruit.
Ocotea leucoxylon is an evergreen tree with a very dense, rounded crown; it can grow up to 15 metres tall.
Cedrela odorata is a commercially important species of tree in the chinaberry family, Meliaceae, commonly known as Spanish cedar or Cuban cedar or cedro in Spanish.
Inga vera is a species of tropical tree in the family Fabaceae. It occurs in Central and South America, where it is known as churimo.
W. laurifolia is a borderline hardy, rounded to open, evergreen shrub or small tree with leathery, glossy, elliptic to ovate, dark green leaves.
Gouania lupuloides, known as chewstick or whiteroot, is a neotropical plant of the family Rhamnaceae. It is occasionally used as a teeth-cleaning implement.
Cissus verticillata, the princess vine or seasonvine, is an evergreen perennial vine in the grapevine family Vitaceae.
Sabal domingensis is a fan palm with solitary, very stout stems, which grows up to 10 metres (33 ft) tall and 60 centimetres (24 in) in diameter.
Crescentia cujete, commonly known as the calabash tree, is a species of flowering plant that is grown in Africa, Central America, South America, the West Indies and extreme southern Florida.
Bursera simaruba, commonly known as gumbo-limbo, copperwood, chaca, and more. It is a tree species in the family Burseraceae, native to tropical regions of the Americas
Terminalia catappa is a large tropical tree in the leadwood tree family, Combretaceae, native to Asia, Australia, the Pacific and Madagascar.
Abrus precatorius, commonly known as jequirity bean or rosary pea, is a herbaceous flowering plant in the bean family Fabaceae.
This pretty tree, without a decent English name, is very well known among the Maya, who call it Sip-Che'.
Swietenia mahagoni, commonly known as American mahogany, is a species of Swietenia native to South Florida in the United States and islands in the Caribbean.
Pithecellobium dulce, commonly known as Manila tamarind, Madras thorn, or camachile, is a species of flowering plant in the pea family.
P. alliacea is a herbaceous perennial herb, with medicinal properties, included in the Global Compendium of Weeds.
Guazuma ulmifolia, commonly known as West Indian elm or bay cedar, is a medium-sized tree normally found in pastures and disturbed forests.
Guaiacum officinale, commonly known as roughbark lignum-vitae, guaiacwood or gaïacwood, is a species of tree in the caltrop family, Zygophyllaceae, that is native to the Caribbean.
Protecting our Rivers
Other areas, such as the river banks, were protected by the introduction of these native trees. All these trees and plants can be found throughout the farm and provide an ecological corridor for the wild animal population. Our forest make up 14% of Pasadena’s land and 16% of Paso Robles.
Don't hesitate to contact us for more information about everything we do at Savid.