Filipino turns hydroponic hobby into business
After working as a firefighter in Qatar for seven years, Kian Castaneda (pictured) is determined to go back to his hometown in the Philippines for good. His plan: to put up a hydroponics farm business, a favourite pastime he started years back which later turned into a passion.
It all began in early 2010 when Castaneda stumbled upon an article published in The Peninsula about a Filipino hydroponics hobbyist Angelo Ramos who had turned the tiny entrance to his flat into a soilless garden with over a hundred edible vegetables.
“I have already developed keen interest in farming when I was a child and upon reading the article, I started to do research since I thought it would be a good alternative since in hydroponics, you can grow plants anywhere without soil and even with limited space,” he said.
It took him a year to study and experiment on the method but it became easy when he met Ramos who provided him with very helpful tips, he related.
“I later joined him in conducting seminars. We also have a Facebook group where we connect with other hydroponics enthusiasts, making it easier for them to begin their setup compared several years ago when I was starting,” he said.
Read more at The Peninsula