How a New Breed of Business Can Create Wealth for Filipino Farmers and Families

Today, a new take on business innovation is challenging the economic status quo. Bernard Balet of Aqualone and Gawad Kalinga Enchanted Farm (GKEF) are among a growing number of change makers who are applying their industry expertise to empower underprivileged communities around the world.

Balet is the inventor and co-founder of Aqualone solutions, a nonelectric smart irrigation system. The innovator spoke in a breakout session at the recently concluded Barangay Walang Iwanan (BWI 2019) summit, a joint effort between Gawad Kalinga, French platform Convergences, and French NGO ACTED for sustainable development, and shared how he alongside many organizations have tried to make a lasting impact on farming and fishing communities in the country.

Aqualone offers a simple yet effective solution

For fifteen years, Balet has grown to understand the intricacies involved in farming. As a hands-on social entrepreneur, he empathized with farmers of lesser means, leading him to create Aqualone, a simple yet revolutionary self-operating irrigation system for farm management.

Aqualone operates on a non-electric system consisting of ceramic pots that respond to evaporation. Each pot self-fills with water for the crop’s consumption and stops irrigation once full. By letting the soil determine the amount and frequency of water needed, farmers can be assured that their crops are always hydrated at optimal levels.

“Many farmers around the world who rely on traditional farming methods are caught in a vicious cycle. Since most of their time is spent on maintaining crops, they are not able to add value to their harvest, which forces them to immediately sell them to avoid wastage. The cycle never ends,” said Balet.

“Through this technology, we can help them break free, giving them the time and space to make the most out of every harvest.”

Balet believes that Aqualone, being relatively inexpensive and quick to install, is a promising solution to address the hardships many farmers face every day. It can be easily mass produced and decreases the farmer’s time spent on manual work such as harvesting, giving them enough time to process their crops to increase their market value. Best of all, the system saves up to 70% of the water that they would normally consume for traditional watering.

Balet is working with Gawad Kalinga to find out how to best educate farmers on the irrigation system and adapt it to local conditions. By gaining access to land and farmers through this partnership, he believes the country will inch closer to agricultural advancement and sustainability, in the process improving the livelihood of provincial farming communities.

Uplifting the lives of families through farming

Gawad Kalinga is also improving the lives of communities through GKEF’s Family Farming Model (FFM), one of its most successful farming programs to date.

In line with Gawad Kalinga’s vision of ending poverty for families, rural unemployment, and to create food security, FFM offers a template for would-be agripreneurs by providing them with the necessary resources to establish a farm and provide them with access to markets to sell their produce.

“The Family Farming Model is what seems to be a promising solution which can help in our fight against poverty, and the various issues of the local agricultural environment. By empowering the Filipino family through farming, we are not only providing them with an opportunity for a better livelihood, but a chance to play a part in strengthening the true backbone of the Philippine economy,” said Shanon Khadka, Chief Executive Officer, Gawad Kalinga Enchanted Farm.

Each family under FFM is allocated an estimated 500 sqm of land, and provision of support services such as Aqualone’s irrigation system, electricity, farm materials, as well as technical and financial support. Capital loaned by the agripreneur will be paid back, free of interest, after each cropping cycle, which will be then used to support the future needs of the program.

Within one year of operation, FFM has seen great impact in the lives of the 10 families part of the program. Their household income has risen to 50% higher than Bulacan minimum-wage, due to at-cost logistical support, access to major supermarkets and outlets, and time to seek additional forms of livelihood in the area. Furthermore, fathers who make up the majority of FFM farmers have exhibited more confidence, leadership, and influenced their children to view agriculture as a viable option for their future.

BWI 2019 is a joint effort between Gawad Kalinga, French platform Convergences, and French NGO ACTED. The summit brought together delegates from public, private, and civic sectors to discuss and devise solutions to address poverty, inclusion, and environmental issues in the Philippines.

To know more about Barangay Walang Iwanan, visit www.facebook.com/gawadkalinga.com.