Wepot, founded in 2018, innovates around an ecological and ancestral irrigation system. It saves up to 70% of water and makes plants autonomous. The company's objective stems from a simple observation: we must change our relationship with water. By participating in the development of this efficient irrigation technique, it hopes to help the world reduce and improve the consumption of its most valuable resource.

It also attaches great importance to supporting the local economy and choose its partners based on the idea of ​​a short production chain.

Globally, a lot of water is used and wasted: the world needs to reduce and optimise the consumption of its most valuable resource. Therefore, we must change our relationship with water. 

The solution offered by Wepot is Ollas, an ancestral irrigation technique used to grow plants. It is difficult to trace its exact origin but its use is historically very important in Asia, Africa and the Middle East. It remains very underdeveloped in European regions, despite being considered one of the most efficient irrigation systems.

The company offers different models and sizes of Ollas to grow plants. To use them, you have to bury the Ollas up to the demarcation, fill it with water and leave room for magic: the plant fixes its roots around the pot and, thanks to the natural porosity of the clay, it drinks according to its needs. This avoids any water stress, and prevents development of weeds—and above all saves water by 50% to 70%.

Currently, the company is testing its Ollas in an eco-village in Senegal, in partnership with the Plantons Utile association. This experience allows it every day to better understand local issues while testing the quality of their solution directly in the field. Ultimately, they wish to set up a production workshop that will both create jobs and contribute to the independence of these populations. This trial can then be extended to other regions facing the same challenges.

To move in this direction, the company is conducting its first applied research around the Ollas. Surrounded by agronomists and horticulturists who are experts in their fields, it wants to prove the advantages and benefits of this irrigation method through a purely scientific approach.

The product brings three main benefits:

- Ollas save 40 litres of water every year, which now amounts to more than 80,000 litres of water saved.

- Using woodchips to protect their products in transport saves more than 50 kilograms of polystyrene.

- Production partly taking place in hosted workshops amounts to over 2,000 hours of social work.

Photo on Wepot website