J.H.B. Zapata Integrated Farm, a hydroponic farm in Pampanga province north of the Philippines, wants young Filipinos to venture into soilless farming, using nutrient-rich water instead, as the country grapples with food security amid its dwindling farmers.
"You can do farming under the shade because you just need to place the plant on the pump," farm owner John Harold B. Zapata, 24, told BusinessWorld in an interview. "Since it's a soilless cultivation, you won't touch soil and worms."
Starting a hydroponic farm also requires minimal capital, he said.
Mr. Zapata started building his DIY (do-it-yourself) greenhouse in 2021 with less than a thousand pesos in capital and recyclable materials from the junk shop such as scraps of wood, bamboo and plastic sheets.
Before that, he armed himself with knowledge about hydroponic farming by joining Facebook groups and online forums on the subject. "I didn't know anything about farming. I just knew I wanted to try," he said.
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