The Silent Integrated Farm
Every year since 1992, December 3 has been observed as the International Day for Persons with Disabilities (IDPWD) worldwide.
According to World Health Organization (WHO), the number of people with disabilities in the world is about 65 crore (650 million). Of them, nearly 20 crore are children.
Meanwhile, according to the Ministry of Social Welfare of Bangladesh, about seven percent citizens of the country have physical disabilities.
On this day, I would like to tell my readers the story of an agricultural farm in the Philippines. The farm authorities are spreading awareness about disability in their country and promoting a special farm, called Silent Integrated Farm located in Laguna province's Liliw village, where at least 70 people with disabilities (PWD) are working with dignity, social protection and utmost care.
In August, I had the opportunity to visit the Philippines to work on the country's different agricultural activities.
I was impressed when I visited an organic farm at Liliw in Laguna Province.
As soon I entered the farm, I was blown away by the path covered with colourful umbrellas, hanging on the top, and the orderly green landscape.
It was calm and quiet, as if like the name of the farm itself, silent, where crops were managed properly. A group of people, with special needs, were working there and silently contributing to the country's economic development, food security, agro-tourism and safe food production.
Alongside the people with special needs, some local senior citizens also got the opportunity to work there.
Will John, a young agriculturist who works at the farm, welcomed me and took me inside. A 23-year-old woman is the main entrepreneur of Silent Integrated Farm, built on three and a half hectares of land.
The lady always stays behind the scenes and doesn't want to come in front of everyone. Her staff said the initiative started during the Covid-19 pandemic.
When I asked John, he said everything produced at the farm is organic. Even the fertilisers and pesticides used there are made through organic processes. I saw papaya, lettuce, cucumber, bean, eggplant, tomato and different vegetables and fruits there. While talking to John, I realised that most of the people working there are mute and can't hear.
A couple, Michael Suerte and Danica, who were present there, can't hear or speak. The duo loves each other and they both use sign language to communicate. They built a house inside the farm and have two healthy little kids.
After a lot of struggle, Michael finally found a job at the farm. Now he and his wife want to show the world that if people have the desire to live beautifully, they will have to earn it.
I spoke to the couple with John's help. John explained my thoughts in sign language and they replied in the same method. Michael, who has been working there since October, 2021, and his wife do all the work including tilling the land, taking care of the crops, weeding and harvesting.
Basically, he looks after the entire farm, where everyone works in eight-hour shifts. Michael told me that some of the workers went to the capital Manila to get agricultural training. Michael and Danica told me they love farming more than anything else and they were happy to have me at their silent farm.
I went to the poultry farm, where chicken sheds are built, keeping the local traditions in mind, and the chickens are also of local breed. From there I went to the rabbit farm, where many white and black rabbits are reared for commercial purposes. The entrepreneur is not only limited to just setting up the farm, but also provides training for organic crop production and livestock farm management.
I asked Michael Kagaz, agricultural trainer at the farm, what is the practice of organic agriculture in the Philippines?
Michael said climate change is putting people at risk and heavily impacting crop production around the world.
He said there is no alternative to technical knowledge and organic farming practices. In particular, one of the ways to be healthy is to choose the path of chemical-free production.
Mentionable, some poor students and ordinary people also work at the farm.
I talked to John Jasper, who is working as a farm labourer there.
Young Lamisa, who also choose to work with the PWD, was returning from the field with fresh cucumber, tomato and other vegetables.
Lamisa said all the crops produced at the farm are chemical-free. They use organic pesticides and sex pheromone traps.
Then I went to the exhibition stall adjacent to the farm. Different varieties of fresh fruits and vegetables are there.
They also follow the farm-to-table concept and people can dine there with the vegetables and fruits picked from the fields.
I had my lunch there with my colleagues, and friends from the Philippines.
Dear readers, despite many efforts, I could not find the real entrepreneur behind the farm. She has built 'Silent Integrated Farm' for the benefit of silent people, for the PWDs. Standing on the ground of Liliw, I remembered, above all, humanity is true, nothing else. Everything we see and we do is for people. But in most cases, we forget this. I pray the best for the Silent Integrated Farm and the lady behind, who made the dreams come true by doing such an exemplary silent revolution.
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