Here is our story of Urban Farming

4 years ago, we rented a 7000 sqft bungalow right in the heritage city of Georgetown; to begin our urban farming journey. We spent 1 year to build the first ever Vertical Aquaponics Farm, integrating Hydroponic, Aquaculture, Vertical planting and Aeroponics techniques into an integrated urban farm. We successfully, optimized the space utilization and increase produces. At the same time, reduce or removed many tedious and time consuming farming activities. Our farm do not need digging, watering, weeding, and fertilizing. It is almost an automated farm. On the space of 2500 sq ft, we were producing 250 Kg of vegetables and 50 KG of fish every month.

Loo Urban Farm had attracted thousands of visitors locally and abroad to come and witness success and learn from us. Loo Urban Farm were featured in may newspapers and TV programs. With such optimization and production results, most people admire our success. We thought we have been successful too.

Along this glory, an investor love our technology so much and asked us to build a system for him. He even paid the deposit for the system. This is another moment in the journey we were hit with a cruel fact. Loo Urban Farm success is not due to its technology. It is due to the key person who has designed and build the farm; Philip Loo. Loo Urban Farm is not able to duplicate, mass produce and transfer its technology and knowhow to any person.

That means, even we build similar farm for our investor, the investor will not be able to manage and maintain the farm as well as Loo Urban Farm. Worse still, the whole farm may not be functioning properly. After accepting this fact, we return the deposit to the investor honestly. Although we manage to integrate various farming techniques, harnessed the strength of each techniques, negate all their shortcoming. It is not a mature and transferable technology. Hence, we embarked a long challenging innovation, invention, research and development journey.

Blessing is unparalleled, misfortunes are not alone. We were slammed with tenancy continuity issues. We had to tear down the whole Loo Urban Farm, that we have spent so much money, time, efforts and dedication! Every inch of space in this farm is full of our efforts and research. Looking at the uncountable hard work and efforts being tear down piece by piece helplessly, the question of “To continue or to give up?” was played millions of times in our mind. Shall we admit it as failure, cut loss and move on to other things? Should we give up? We finally decided to bite the bullet and continue our journey. Why do we do so? Deep in our heart, we truly believe we can innovate and invent a system that can be duplicate, mass produce and transfer to anyone and able to use is easily without needing an expert onsite.

We lost our farm. We can’t continue to sell vegetables and fish. We can’t continue to have guided tour to our farm to share our experience and knowledge to others. Losing all these sources of income to support us has given us more time to focus on our research and product development. Fortunately, we were lucky to received Cradle funding, CIP 150 to enable us survived through the very tough period.

We started to look into every detail of these farming techniques. We study, innovate and design various components and structures. We manufacture our own planting cup and water dispenser. We designed and innovated commercial and home systems that is simple and easy to install. Our home system is installed effortlessly without any tool. We study the whole irrigation system; water pressures, water flow, Piping, installation and the efficiency. We look at ways to achieve highest efficiency, simple and easy installation at the lowest possible cost. We also invented a highly cost effective germination and seedling techniques. We defines operation procedures and SOP. We build farm management system. Putting all these pieces development together, we have invented a technology called HAVVA Technology.

Breaking away from conventional
Defines future farming technology

Today, HAVVA Technology is not only about integrating 5 farming methods. We see HAVVA Technology as a complete solution that has following elements: 

1. Infrastructure – Consultation, design, build and transfer
2. Operation – Seeding, transplanting, harvesting and marketing processes
3. Management and evaluation – Supervision, data analysis and performance evaluation capabilities

Equipped with these 3 important element of a mature technology, we are now able to Duplicate, Mass Produce and Transfer our technology easily and smoothly to ensure successful implementation.

Last year, Mr Tan from Cheng Sun Restaurant in Ijok, Kuala Selangor requested us to build a farm beside his restaurant. This is the first time we apply HAVVA Technology and put it to real test. We spent 6 months to build this first ever HAVVA farm. In this small farm, you can see results of our hard work and research everywhere. Upon completion on April 2018, Mr Tan have been running the farm himself. Mr Tan has proof to us, HAVVA Technology is indeed can be deployed and run smoothly. Not only he enjoy farming without difficulties, but the produces and harvest is much more and within much shorter time than estimated early on.  Result on Cheng Sun Urban Farm is an endorsement to our hard work and sacrifices over the past 4 years. It has proven HAVVA Technology is a mature technology that can be duplicated, mass produce and transfer to anyone.

In the past 4 years, we have overcome endless failures and challenges. We hold on to HAVVA Technology strongly, no matter how much difficulties and challenges. It is worthwhile?

HAVVA effectively reduces:

1. Land scarcity issues – we can produce up to 10X more on the same piece of land.  Addressing food shortage issues
2. Labour shortage issues – Almost fully automated, needs fewer man power, easily manage
3. High running cost – Farm design is optimized using natural ecosystem and scientific principles largely reduce running cost

HAVVA eliminates:

1. Antibiotic – Our fish does not need antibiotic
2. Toxic pesticides – Our farm does not need toxic pesticides
3. Pollution – HAVVA is a closed loop recirculating system without discharge. No only ZERO pollution, but improves our ecosystem
4. Skills requirements – Running and managing HAVVA farm does not requires farming knowledge and skill as prerequisites
5. Unpredictable output – HAVVA farm has consistent and predictive harvest.

Why we want to participate in Dream Factory Startup Contest？

HAVVA Agrotech believes, Dream Factory Startup Contest is a platform for us to meet many successful entrepreneurs. We would like to learn from their entrepreneurship experiences. We need all this knowledge to fill in our shortfalls. After so many years of R&D, it is time to bring HAVVA Technology to the market for real test. If we manage to qualify and enter the contest, we stand the chance to learn from so many outstanding entrepreneurs. This invaluable experience and knowledge will pave our way to better win the market. We are keen to learn from the successful examples. At the same time be wary from the failures examples and avoid doing the same. We are ambitious to win the contest and gain us a ticket to international conference. We hope to represent Malaysia innovation in the international arena. Build a reputable brand of Made In Malaysia.

How to support us?
Help us to qualify for the contest

Package 1 : Guided farm tour to Cheng Sun Urban Farm + Farm to plate experience + More

Since Loo Urban Farm was torn down 2 years ago, we received numerous request to visit our farm. When Cheng Sun Urban Farm is completed, we also receive many such requests. Hence, we have planed and included this special farm visit, farm to plate experience with more which is definitely better than what it was 2 years ago. After 2 years, once again we give the privileges to you to enjoy our farm tour again with more.

The highlight of this special tour is, Philip Loo who is the mastermind in designing and build the farm will introduce HAVVA Technology to you in person. Only people who purchase this package will have the privilege to meet and enjoy Philip Loo’s personal farm tour. He will not conduct such farm tour anymore in future. This is the best opportunity to meet him in person and exchange experiences. Thus, we will allocate FAQ time slot for you to ask any questions you would like to know. We hope all the participants  will have better understanding in investing into Commercial farm.

Beside farm tour, farm owner, Mr Tan also prepares authentic farm to plate cuisines with his vegetables and fish from farm. Lunch of Dinner package includes: 

1. 2 dishes of in season fresh fish
2. 2 dishes of in season fresh vegetables
3. 3 dishes of Cheng Sun popular dishes
4. Home made traditional Salted Lime drink

Package 2 : Home food production factory - HAVVA140

Only need a space of coffee table. Spend 5 mins daily. You can grow more that 140 heads of vegetables. This will supply fresh, healthy and non toxic food to you family of 4 everyday, all year round.
Almost fully automatic system. No digging, no weeding, no fertilizing and no watering. It is soilless farming. Automatically reduce pest infection by 80%.
When purchase this package, you enjoy lifetime coaching and support. We ensure you and your family will enjoy harvesting fresh, healthy and non toxic vegetable all year round easily.

Package 3 : "Build Your Own Aquaponics" Workshop

Philip Loo, CEO from HAVVA Agrotech Sdn Bhd will conduct and deliver principles of aquaponics in workshop personally. He will share all his experiences and knowledge gathered all these years indulged in aquaponics research with the hope that everyone else don’t have to repeat all his failures and challenges again and again. Ticket purchased via Dream Factory Startup Contest entitles you to participate and enrol in one of our “Build your own aquaponics” workshops to be conducted in Kuala Lumpur or Penang throughout the year. The ticket is valid for 1 year.

System operation concepts, hardware and components needed, system design.
From understanding water quality to aquaculture, growing and managing the plants until all the knowledge you need to know. We share and present them in simple and easy to understand ways -- illustrate and demonstrate. Rest assure, people without any background knowledge can easily follow and pickup.

You will master practical aquaponics and its principles
We will share with you all our experiences and knowledge. Transfer all valuable techniques and know how to you in our unique and proprietary approach .

You will learn actual operation and building aquaponics system from scratch
We will teach you fabricating, installation and applying siphon. Every participants shall apply principles and theory learned to design a functional aquaponics system on the spot.

Workshop Outline Theory Session
Principles of Aquaponics
All you need to know about Siphon
Types of growing structures and design
Advantages and disadvantages of each design
Determine how much fish and how much plants to grow
Nutrients provided by Aquaponics system
What to feed your fish and how to choose
Upkeep and troubleshooting Aquaponics system
What can I grow?
What to do if I have a problem?

Practical session
Design a aquaponics system using knowledge learn
Discuss each design
Experience building a continuous flow bed
Experience building a siphon bed
Experience making a siphon
Experience all problems surrounding siphon

Exclusive benefits:
Unlimited questions and answer + Life time coaching
Lifetime special discount (components and accessories)
Certificate of Participation