Packetworx and Varacco recently entered into a strategic partnership that aims to accelerate growth for both companies and the telco and agriculture industries. The two companies are working on research that is focused on ‘Improving Productivity and Post-Harvest Quality of Coffee Through Climate-Smart and Covid-Adaptive Low-Cost Internet of Things in Cavite and Davao in the Philippines.’
Varacco, a food and manufacturing company, was founded by Ariestelo ‘Aries’ Asilo and Kath Manto in 2018 and is recognized as one of 50 UN Best Small Businesses: Good Food for All for their vision, impact, and food innovation.
The partnership aims to strategically utilize both companies’ strengths in their respective industries. Talking about the project’s objectives, Aries emphasized increasing productivity and enhancing coffee quality by monitoring climate and environmental parameters in a farm. By equipping farmers and technicians with accurate data, it becomes easier for them to determine the proper treatment and intervention on the growth of crops (e.g., augmenting watering activities when the temperature is high). The partnership aims to start with an initial number of 387 farmers in Cavite and Davao. It targets to improve cultural developments in the coffee industry.
Aries expressed excitement over the project as this will be the first of its kind in the Philippines and a pioneering partnership that adopts the Internet of Things. In addition, the project is vouched and will be funded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), a clear testament of its vast and promising potential.
Why Packetworx Partnered With Varacco
The project’s goal is to increase productivity and quality in areas where these goods are produced. The partnership will enhance Varacco’s capabilities in utilizing IoT for Cavite and Davao coffee farmers, who are vital contributors to the agriculture industry.
With the help of Packetworx, Varacco will be able to bring the power of IoT to many small farmers, who will benefit from automated and unified reporting practices, remotely operated and controlled farm equipment, smart agriculture systems, and so on.
Packetworx’s straightforward platform and scalable, reliable technology will allow Varacco to better meet the needs of farmers and enable them to enhance the quality of their products.
Moving Forward
Expected developments for the project include research and pilot testing in Cavite and Mindanao, expansion to other parts of Mindanao (such as the Mount Apo with its Coffea arabica), and possible partnership with big corporations like Nestle.
Speaking about the concrete offerings of the consortium, Aries shared that both devices and platform will be provided to the farmers. These involve rainfall, humidity, and other sensors working within the LoRaWAN® technology framework.
‘We are sparking a revolution in the local coffee industry,’ Aries added. This is what both companies desire to achieve. With increasing developments in big data and AI, he believes it will also become possible to innovate with similar crops like cacao. The goal, ultimately, is for LGUs and other government bodies to follow suit and institutionalize a technological industry practice that can be shared with the rest of the world.
About Packetworx
Packetworx is the leading enabler of IoT and the only IoT technology social enterprise in the Philippines. The company’s mission is to accelerate the adoption of IoT solutions to help the country transition toward an Internet-powered future. They do this by providing end-to-end IoT solutions, be it devices, network infrastructure, or cloud-based data visualization tools.
About Varacco
Varacco, based in Lipa City, Batangas, owns the registered trademark brand ‘Timplado’. They are a food and beverage company that owns the patented dip coffee utility model and focuses on creating rich, full-bodied coffee blends in a matter of seconds. With distinct blends made from purely local ingredients and a social mission to empower coffee farmers, youths, and PWDs, Varacco aims to be recognized as a thought leader in the Philippine coffee industry and is positioned to grow faster as a digital-first brand available to coffee drinkers and food lovers.
