Ruzhdi Koni once dreamed of becoming a footballer. His studies at the Agricultural University of Tirana were not the result of passion, but rather a choice imposed by the pre-1990 system. However, over time, he realized that the profession of an agronomist would give him a life he had never imagined.
After establishing his first collection point and working as a fruit and vegetable trader, Ruzhdi realized that the future of the business required a new direction. In 2007, he founded the nursery “Agro Koni,” which today produces a wide range of vegetables and collaborates with over 2,000 farmers from all over Albania, who have signed contracts with the company.
Not only that, but the seedlings produced locally are increasingly being preferred in neighboring countries as well, thanks to the use of modern Western cultivation methods.
As a visionary agronomist, his approach to food safety has always been a key focus. Ruzhdi Koni was among the first to introduce the use of bees for pollination in greenhouses in Albania, replacing artificial hormones. Today, thanks to long and persistent work, he has managed to convince most farmers to abandon hormones and use natural bee pollination — a “battle” he considers to have been won.
For the past four years, he has gone even further by applying biological control to reduce and eliminate the use of pesticides, thereby contributing to a more sustainable and safer agriculture for consumers.
A podcast produced by journalist Rudina Muça.