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Dragica Jerkov
Episode · #793

PAMETNA HRVATSKA Dragica Jerkov, powered by Janaf

Guest Dragica JerkovHosted by Boris ŽivkovićMay 3, 2026
About this episode
What you'll hear in this conversation

Most entrepreneurs chase youth; Dragica Jerkov started her most ambitious project in her sixties. As the founder of FEMA d.o.o. and the driving force behind Ecolika Green Innovation, she took on a complex, multi-faceted challenge: turning Croatia's neglected waste sheep wool — an ecological burden that takes 95 years to decompose — into high-value organic fertilizer and ecological mulch. Jerkov, who calls herself 'perhaps the oldest startup in Croatia, even in Europe,' brings decades of experience to an industry often dominated by younger ventures. This conversation offers a rare look at how deep expertise, persistence, and a willingness to 'bang your head against the wall' can be the precise ingredients for an innovation that tackles both environmental and agricultural problems, proving that impactful entrepreneurship knows no age limit.

Insights from the conversation
What to take from this episode
01
Dragica Jerkov started Ecolika Green Innovation in her sixties, calling herself 'perhaps the oldest startup in Croatia, even in Europe.' The age isn't a footnote; it’s proof that deep experience and a willingness to 'bang your head against the wall' can be the precise ingredients for tackling complex, long-term problems that younger ventures might shy away from.
02
A single sheep's fleece takes 95 years to decompose, creating an ecological burden that often ends up as discarded waste in nature. This insight isn't just about waste; it's about seeing an environmental liability as an unaddressed resource, waiting for a technological solution that can convert it into something valuable.
03
The 'Vuli pahuljice' mulch stops slugs by absorbing their mucus, immobilizing them without chemicals. This reveals that the most effective ecological solutions often work by understanding and disrupting a pest's basic biology, creating a new product category where only chemical options existed.
04
Wool’s natural thermal insulation properties allow the mulch to protect plants from both overheating and freezing. When you re-purpose a material, look beyond its primary function; its inherent secondary characteristics can solve entirely new problems, such as climate change protection for crops.
05
The wool pellets, acting as small water reservoirs, can reduce watering needs by up to 25%. This shows that products designed to address one problem (waste wool) can deliver significant, measurable benefits in related areas like resource conservation, making them valuable on multiple fronts.
06
Ecolika's pellets deliver 10-12% nitrogen, far exceeding manure's 5%, without weed seeds or pathogens, and after five years, they improve soil structure by aerating it. The true value of an organic fertilizer isn't just its immediate nutrient delivery; it's its long-term, regenerative impact on the soil itself.
07
The European Union's strict criteria for organic fertilizers were partly driven by concerns over pathogens like E. coli and Salmonella in manure. Regulations, even those born from public health issues, can clarify market needs and create a competitive advantage for genuinely clean, safe organic alternatives.
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