The change comes from a slow but consistent collaborative accumulation. Starting from the Community Development Cooperatives, the residents have stimulated and thought about the possibility of a second life for the water caltrop shells. After that, various communities jointly funded Guantian Black Gold Team Community Cooperatives, embarking on the recycling, carbonization, and processing of water caltrop shells. In the end, these transformed products are designed, packaged, and marketed by FanC Recycling International Ltd., bringing useless waste into people's daily lives, industries, and even turning into export products. From Community Organization and Collaboratives to becoming an enterprise, the organized vertical integration of agricultural waste has turned a worthless resource into the starting point for industrial innovation in Guantian.
The key driving force is Mr. Li Zheng-xian, founder of the "FanC Recycling international Ltd." He hails from Zuoying, Kaohsiung, and graduated from the Department of Chemistry of National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) and the Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Environmental Sciences at National Tsing Hua University. His original major was the synthesis of porous materials and environmental engineering applications. He previously worked in petrochemical research and development and also ran a chain of bubble tea brands. Now, he is the chairman of the Guantian Black Gold Team Community Cooperatives

The Multi-Employment Promotion Program Helps the Cooperatives Gain a Foothold
Review back in 2017, Mr. Li Zheng-xian received the invitation from his mentor, Professor Lin Hong-ping, of National Cheng Kung University (NCKU), to assist in developing Guantian local specialty souvenirs. He visited Guantian and discovered the so-called "Back Garden of the Southern Taiwan Science Park" boasts the scenic Wushantou Reservoir, vast farmland, and even habitats for pheasant-tailed jacana. However, there was an unresolved environmental problem in Guantian: Every year, thousand tons of water caltrop shells became a source of pollution due to improper disposal.
The water caltrops of Guantian take 70% of the total national amount and are the residents' memories. But the disposal shells have become an environmental burden. If we can change the point, then we can change the future of other places, Mr. Li said.
In the early stage, Mr. Li traveled 150 kms daily between Kaohsiung and Guantian by car. Although he was unfamiliar with the area and lacked of people networks, he chose to stay because "to solve the problem of accumulated water caltrop shells was a meaningful endeavor."
"The recycling, carbonization, and packing of Guantian water caltrop shells not only resolves the local environmental issue but raises local employment opportunities." Said by Mr. Li Zheng-xian. Between 2020 and 2022, through the Multi-Employment Promotion Program (MEPP) of the Ministry of Labor, the Cooperatives sustainably hired a professional project manager and four project staff to assist the employment of local middle-age people and disadvantages and continuously add labor forces with industry energy. During that time, the Cooperatives produced about 90 tons of Water Caltrop Biochar and created over 15 local job opportunities that attracted young people return to their hometowns and made the middle-aged people go back to work place.
After the fundamental work been done. Starting in 2013, FanC Recycling International Ltd. decided to face market challenges as a social enterprise and take responsibility for profit and loss. Mr. Li added," We might apply the Empowering Employment Program (EEP) in the future since it allowed us to cultivate our young people systematically. But for now, I choose to take it one step at a time, steadily moving forward."

Four-party Collaboration, Local Co-creation
Today, the Black Gold products are no longer limited to deodorizing and dehumidifying absorbent packs or charcoal powder. Through collaboration with major textile manufacturers, they have developed cooling towels and even Water Caltrop Biochar clothing. Through collaborating with government organizations, the biochar becomes an air-purifying system in the Rehabilitation Bus. It also collaborated with universities to research how to mix the water caltrop shell biochar into compost or spread it in fields to improve acidified soil and enhance water retention.
"By collaborating with industry, government, academia, and society to deal with a type of waste, the ultimate goal is not just industrial upgrading, but creating a sense of confidence in a region," he said. "Our collaboration is actually quite interesting. It was not just a matter of a few organizations holding meetings, but rather each party playing a crucial function." Mr. Li Cheng-xian said.
He further explained that the government organization is the most important back support since it not only assists with the administrative process but resources seeking. The team of Professor Li Hong-ping from NCKU is the research brain; the Cooperatives relied on them for everything from how to burn the materials to how to evaluate the quality. Kunshan University of Science and Technology uses its USR (University Social Responsibility) program to delve into the community, focusing on local care, talent development, and environmental sustainability, assisting the Cooperatives in promoting local revitalization and taking practical action. This has enabled the Black Glod Community Cooperatives to create numerous local jobs through collecting agricultural waste, charcoal production, and product development. "Through the collaboration of these four parties, the Black Gold has gradually transformed from an idea into a local brand."

Sustainability Aims to Make the Local Visible
Mr. Li Zheng-xian is often asked in the initial period of the start-up: Why did you choose to process the waste but work in a high-tech company? However, he always believes that if the circular economy can genuinely solve environmental and societal problems, then it is a valuable effort.
He hopes that "Guantian Black Gold" isn't a product brand but also a way of practicing local sustainability, allowing every resource to find its value and way.
The success of Water Caltrop Biochar gave them confidence to recycle other agricultural wastes. In recent years, the Cooperatives have begun experimenting with the carbonization of nearly 20 kinds of biomaterials, including longan seeds, white popinac, rice husks, pineapples, peanuts, and tea seeds, to explore the possibility of "turning local agricultural waste into resources," and put these environmentally unfriendly wastes back into the cycle of environmental restoration.
"We are also thinking about the next step. The 2050 Net-Zero isn't a slogan but the same target for global enterprises. We hope to stand on their shoulders to make our model in Guantian into a "biochar settlement" that can be mobile, modular, and copyable," said Mr. Li Zheng-xian. It's not merely a technology exportation but a local experience, allowing more rural villages to view the sustainability possibility from our biochar story.
The Official Website of Guantian Black Gold Team Community Cooperatives

▲Following the success of turning the water caltrop shells into "Black Gold," Guantian Black Gold Community Cooperatives is extending its exploration of other possibilities for recycling agricultural waste.

▲The Water Caltrop Biochar has the effects of purifying air, clearing water, and improving soils. It is designed for various types of communities, including absorbent packs, cup pads, water cups, or as an additive in cooling clothes and essential oils.

▲Through 3 years of support from the Ministry of Labor for the fundamental work, Guantian Black Gold Community Cooperatives has stepped into a new management milestone that operates on a profit and loss self-responsibility.

▲Mr. Li Zheng-xian, the founder of FanC Recycling International Ltd., is responsible for commercializing the water caltrop commodities that Guantian Black Gold Community Cooperatives burned and made to open the marketing channel.

Case story: Multi-Employment Promotion Program
Interviewee: Tainan Guantian Black Gold Community Cooperatives