Cover A birds eye view of the 7 Hectares farm in Bacolod, Negros Occidental
A birds eye view of the 7 Hectares farm in Bacolod, Negros Occidental
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Aquaculturist Kiko Torno corrects the wrongs of our local fish industry at 7 Hectares, his self-healing fish farm in Negros Occidental
Francisco “Kiko” Torno used to be fascinated by flight, graduating from university with a degree in aerospace engineering. Life, however, had other plans for Torno when it led him to a career in advertising, working in firms TBWA as well as Saatchi & Saatchi. He is still very much active within the industry as a consultant, but his passion for science and exploration that once had him looking up at the heavens has now shifted his gaze toward the waters.
Fish ponds, to be exact, as Torno is the brains behind the trailblazing initiative 7 Hectares located in the serene plains of Saravia, Negros Occidental, roughly 45 minutes by car from Bacolod. It was during a trip to Tuscany, Italy in 2012 with his wife Gretchen Montelibano Torno when he found himself sitting down to a meal at a farm where everything they ate and drank was grown, produced and processed on the property. “This is also the time I was starting to notice a decline in the size, species and quality of the fish being sold in the wet markets in the Philippines,” Torno expresses. “I can tell the difference because when I was a kid, my dad used to have a trading firm that distributed meat and seafood produce to certain establishments in Makati, and both my parents would always bring me to the wet market.”
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Above Francisco “Kiko” Torno, the brains behind 7 Hectares
Francisco “Kiko” Torno, the brains behind 7 Hectares
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This turning point was exacerbated by the fact that the Tornos were growing weary of the corporate rat race, so they decided to learn more about raising sea bass and crab at the SEAFDEC (Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center) facility in Tigbauan, Iloilo. Back in the late 1970s until the 80s, Negros was a major producer of tiger prawns until the industry collapsed. “Once we were enrolled (in the facility), we noticed that they were endorsing pellet feeding,” he exposes. “Artificial aquaculture is what killed the prawn industry of Negros back in the 80s. This is where our journey started, and we decided to do the opposite—to grow everything naturally, respecting the cycle of mother nature while we simply manage it.”
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Above The 7 Hectares farm in Bacolod, Negros Occidental
The 7 Hectares farm in Bacolod, Negros Occidental
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7 Hectares operates out of what used to be abandoned fish ponds in Saravia owned by Torno’s in-laws that he renovated and initially used to raise milkfish or bangus until they shifted to their current varieties. How is their operation different from the typical fish pond? “Most of the fish that you find in the market are already artificially grown. If I’m not mistaken, 90 per cent of fish sold in the market is artificially grown and fed,” Torno explains. “The difference of 7 Hectares is that all the produce is grown and fed naturally down to the plankton. I work with a team of marine biologists broken into three parts: fin fish, crustaceans and molluscs. Achieving the balance of all three helps maintain the balance and establish the sea-cological system of 7 Hectares.”
The team is composed of Torno as CEO, Carlo de Leon (CFO), Ton Gatmaitan (head of marketing and partnerships) and their pond technician, Jeeboy. The farm also hosts private dining events both at the farm and in other locations, so they have a kitchen team composed of head chef Ziggy Segunial, Alejo Vincent Abawan (sous chef, hot kitchen), Charis Gatmaitan (sous chef, bread and pastry), Paul Jasper Javellana (sous chef/mixologist) and Aliseo Dacua who is both commis and pond manager.
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Above Kiko Torno with the 7 Hectares team
Kiko Torno with the 7 Hectares team
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They started by growing only two species and are now going on eight and hopefully more. “We knew we had reached the peak of ecological balance in our area when we noticed we already have a pair of local resident eagles for the past five years,” Torno proudly shares. “First quarter of last year, I had my facility inspected by a team of professors from UP Visayas (Fisheries University of the Philippines) to do carbon testing. 7 Hectares is the first natural aquaculture facility to be tested for carbon footprint by UP Visayas in the Negros Region, possibly even nationally or globally. And we have achieved the status of a ‘self-healing facility’ where all the species we grow complement each other’s existence, including us humans. It’s not just about growing fish—it’s also about doing it the right way.”
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Above Fresh, farmed fish from 7 Hectares
Fresh, farmed fish from 7 Hectares
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For Torno and his team, the battle for a world where naturally farmed fish is the norm continues, pointing out the importance of what they do in 7 Hectares. “The methodology that 7 Hectares created may give our fish industry the recovery it badly needs,” Torno expresses. “We can also help restore and repair marine sanctuaries that have been destroyed by open net cage artificial farming sanctioned by the LGUs. It can also help educate local communities to do seafood farming practices in the right way and help monitor species in the area.”
While many social enterprises do not go the distance, 7 Hectares continues to thrive as it spreads the gospel of sustainable aquaculture through its restaurant partnerships, private dining events that promote its products, as well as through personal relationships they have developed over the years with like-minded individuals. Its success is truly driven by the passion of the people behind it who wish to correct the wrongs of the past (as well as the current) fish industry, save the species endemic to the Philippines and bring back the country’s dignity as a peninsula. “The aggressive moves of both foreign and domestic sectors of the fisheries industry will completely wipe out our natural resources in the ocean,” Torno warns. “For me, 7 Hectares may be the last stand we have in this business category. I may have lost millions, but the desire to put the Philippines in the forefront of sustainable aquaculture on the global platform cannot be contained.”
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Jaclyn Clemente Koppe is a food and lifestyle writer, as well as a consultant to some of the country’s beloved food and beverage brands. Her passion for food and drink is only surpassed by her devotion to her family, most especially to her soulmate, Pepa the poodle.
