How inclusive agriculture changes lives
Over one billion people on this planet have a disability, many of them in rural areas. Persons with disabilities play an essential role in food systems, yet many barriers remain to their full participation in rural societies.
In this episode, we explore how inclusive rural development changes lives – and what it means to build meaningful routes into agriculture. From training and awareness-raising to adapted agricultural tools, learn how IFAD strives to ensure that everyone has the chance to thrive in rural communities.
Find out more: How inclusive agriculture changes lives
Transcript
This is Farms. Food. Future. – a podcast that’s Good for You, Good for the Planet, and Good for Farmers.
Brought to you by the International Fund for Agricultural Development.
::Welcome to Episode 97 - I’m Brian Thomson.
::And co-presenting this edition, I’m Michelle Tang.
::One point three billion people.
That's how many people globally are living with disabilities.
And yet, when we talk about rural development, they're barely part of the conversation.
::Three in ten children with disabilities have never been to school, and only half complete primary education.
We're talking about entire generations shut out before they've even had a chance.
::And the thing is, this isn't happening in a vacuum.
These are the same communities where IFAD works; where poverty is most entrenched, where agricultural opportunities could genuinely change lives.
But if you're living with a disability, those doors are largely closed.
::Right. Lower employment, worse health outcomes, systematic exclusion.
It's a pattern that repeats itself across continents.
::But today's episode is about the people breaking that pattern.
We're looking at what happens when you actually design for inclusion.
::Not as an afterthought, but from the start.
::Because it turns out, when you do this properly, everyone wins.
The businesses perform better, communities are stronger, and people who've been sidelined for years suddenly have a future.
::As always, we want to hear from you – what you think about our stories and who you want us to be talking to – so please get in touch with us at podcasts at ifad dot org.
::You can also subscribe to this podcast via your favourite podcast platform and please don’t forget to rate us.
::Coming up, we speak to Andrew Gashayija from Kilimo Trust about how they're creating thousands of jobs for young people with disabilities in East Africa.
:You’re listening to Farms. Food. Future. with me Brian Thomson, and Michelle Tang.
Our first story takes us to East Africa, where an IFAD-supported programme is tackling one of the biggest barriers facing young people with disabilities: the assumption they can't contribute.
::Kilimo Trust works across 18 districts.
They've created over 10 thousand jobs in agribusiness.
But here's what sets them apart...
::They've deliberately carved out space for youth with disabilities, a group that makes up 4 per cent of the population but rarely gets a look in.
::And the reality for most of these young people is grim.
No formal education, cultural stigma, families who've stopped expecting opportunities because none ever come.
So Kilimo Trust changed the equation.
::That's right Michelle. They redesigned the entire training system, brought industries on board, and convinced sceptical parents.
Our reporter Katie White spoke with Andrew Gashayija from Kilimo Trust.
::Thank you so much for joining us today on Farms. Food. Future.
::Thank you so much.
::Over the past five years, Kilimo Trust has been intentionally creating opportunities for youth with disabilities. Could you share with us a story that shows how this work has transformed someone's life?
::Yeah, of course. The work we've been doing. Is in response to the challenges that exist in our communities, where are close to 4% of our population, people with disabilities and 80% of them live in rural areas. With a large proportion with no formal education, which limits their access to opportunities other people have. This of course leads to poorer health outcomes and our educational achievements. Their lower employment participation. No one is willing to hire someone with disabilities. You know, for many reasons, some are historic cultural beliefs and that has increased. Of course it increases their dependency. It really makes them a lot more vulnerable when you are doing this. Implementation and also supporting big number of youth to enter into employment through the business. Without this also category of of young people is also very critical and they make a significant contribution to the rural economy. So we couldn't leave them behind.
Although given the scope and the means available, we could not target all types of disabilities you know there are all types of disabilities physical disability: hearing impairment and many. Us so we at least we thought we can make a contribution maybe by targeting those we could afford in our capacity as a programme, most of the focus was on the physical disability and the youth with hearing impairment.
::Thank you for that answer. Could you talk us through or tell us about the intentional actions that Kilimo Trust has taken to create employment opportunities for people?
::We have over 10,000 jobs that have been created, but when you look at the percentage of those that are people with disabilities, it is still small. Of course, they also represent a smaller proportion of the total population. So, for us to intentionally target this group of people, we actually engage the communities. You know, we normally put out calls that reach the communities through contact people in every district that we are targeting, Agri business hub, that climate trust has been implementing on with support from IFAD reached 18 districts, we have our focal people who are appointed by the district mayors to support and work with us directly. So, whenever there is a call, whenever there is a space, opportunities for youth we work so closely with those people, officials in charge of social affairs came on board to also assist us because they are the ones who follow up closely on the social issues in the communities through those existing channels or platforms.
We have been able to reach out to them. But it has to first convince their parents, their guardians they are very protective. Of course, given the fact that they are not used to opportunities of their children without those types of disabilities. So, it was the first cohort actually that opened doors for us to start working with them because of that level of protection from their parent’s cause, can someone have interest to support my daughter or my son? Who can't even communicate with the others without a presence of a sign language translator. So, it was the first cohort that helped us to take away that fear, and also to build a level of faith in the communities that actually the programme offers opportunities for them.
So, in the first cohort, we identified the industries that had the capacity and also the interest in supporting and including people with disabilities in their workforce. So, we worked with them normally we have several approaches to implement. We have what we call the dual competence-based training programme. Which combines in training in the Technical College and the training in the industry where someone graduates ready to work either as a in wage employment in the industry or an entrepreneur. But when you look at the type of trainings you are offering their hands on, workshop activities, planning, irrigation systems and many other hands-on skills. So that kind of training the, the people, the hearing payment for instance. Could not train with the others because of the communication issue. You know they don't speak the same language. So, for us, we had to set up a centre with a tripartite arrangement between the accredited institution of government. Which has to certify the whole training process and also have an industry that is willing and has the the the spaces upon completion of the training.
Our role was to reach out to the communities, get these people from the various places in the rural districts. And also bring them on board, undertake the screening. They basically the interviews you know, with sign language. Do the orientation with the industry and also support them during the learning process. And then of course we also supported the development of the curriculum and we're also looking at the sign language translator. To enable the hands-on learning, all they needed was the skills and how to operate and do the maintenance of those equipment, which was a skill. Now that we had to engage the the Technical College which was working with our trainers. To equip them mainly to also go by the standard, the training standards expected in the in the compliance-based training programme, like other youths who are being trained. They are now supporting their parents in the common. It is contributing the building of their houses. I don't know this one girl who has even brought her, her mother in town near they are now living together. So it's. It wasn't easy at the beginning because of the resistance, however much the local leaders can influence. Once you win the trust of the parents or their guardians or whoever is taking care of them, then you are at least you. You have the confidence that there will be. They will be actively participating in the programme and benefit from it.
::And so you were talking about employers being willing to hire people who are living with disabilities. Why is it important to sensitise employers to creating opportunities for people living with disabilities? And have you seen this approach make a real difference?
::OK, what is needed actually is awareness. They are not aware because the moment they learn from. These other industries. They really do good. They are so fast. They have the energy, they can work, they all they need is just communication. And actually you realise where they are working, even if it is one person, they influence the others to learn the sign language so they cause they have to communicate to that person. So some industries have already started seeing the benefit of working with past people with disabilities. There's no difference in terms of output the the work output acted the outset OK? Of course, it also goes with the type of disability. There are some types of disabilities that may be more suitable for self-employment. Like I know one youth who is in a wheelchair, he doesn't work. He's he has physical impairment, but he's a very good entrepreneur. He's actually he moves around sometimes we go with him to train farmers. Especially in horticulture for export avocado, chili and he's doing good. He's already in processing so, but if you took him, for instance to the industry, maybe to do milk processing, it might be difficult for him because of the type of disability. But if he was to run, maybe in accounting.
::How can others be inspired to take meaningful action for youth with disabilities?
::Look at the opportunities that are available because the Youth with disabilities, they need the same opportunities like any other youth out there. They are not any different. It just changes a bit when it comes to the specific tasks that are performed within the particular. Business. But the moment you identify cause one one of the biggest actually achievements, I would say we did in the early stages of the programme was to know the value changes and the opportunities with the highest potential to attract and retain youth in Agri-business.
To ask that was the entry point of everything that we did. The moment you know that there is high potential and opportunities in milk processing, in food processing, in irrigation repair and maintenance, in animal feed industry, in poultry farming, for breeders and layers in. Industrial machinery for the agro-processors and then in the greenhouse operation and maintenance in hot culture production in processing. That, and also in the UNMORPHED basically for than the management and the of the farms and then designing the curriculums to address those gaps within the within the those opportunities to enable these youth to join. For us, all these opportunities with the right skills. So the moment you have the opportunities on the table, then the rest is is really doable.
::Thank you, Katie and Andrew.
::Check out kilimo trust dot org for more information.
::Up next, someone who's spent years pushing for disability inclusion; not just in rural communities, but in the very institutions meant to serve them.
::You’re listening to episode 97 of Farms. Food. Future. with me Michelle Tang and Brian Thomson.
When it comes to creating safe, inclusive spaces, policies only get you so far.
Real change happens when people are willing to speak about what they've actually lived through.
::Wadzanai Garwe is doing exactly that. Economist, author, activist, President of the Federation of International Civil Servants' Associations.
And she's speaking at IFAD as part of the 16 Days of Activism.
::This campaign brings together several critical dates: the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, World AIDS Day, the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, Human Rights Day.
::Because these issues aren't separate.
Violence, stigma, discrimination, exclusion... They're all connected.
::And they don't happen to faraway statistics.
They happen to colleagues. Family members. People sitting at the next desk.
::IFAD's message is straightforward: vulnerability is universal.
Safety isn't something that just materialises, it requires everyone to take responsibility.
::Our reporter Katie White spoke to Wadzanai Garwe about what systems genuinely support people and what leadership behaviours make the difference.
::Welcome to Farms. Food. Future. Thank you for joining us today. What do you like to write about?
::I mostly write about my life. You know, my experiences, my latest book, ‘Stepping into Wadzi’ lessons from my life is just a book about the lessons I've learned. Throughout my life, professionally and personally.
::How have your experiences of different forms of vulnerability shaped the leader that you are today?
::I think the.
::I think the 1st is getting HIV at the age of 26. HIV is a disability in the US. I believe it made me live in the moment. And then I had a very bad car accident in 2003, and it caused nerve damage along my right arm and this disability, I didn't consider a disability because I could still use the arm. But breaking my ankle in 2023 made me actually understand what having a physical disability is like in terms of how invisible disability is to a lot of people. Even if you're walking through an airport on a wheelchair and people are on their phones and they don't get out of the way, they don't see you. And then having a breakdown and burnout in 2019. Putting me in a psychiatric ward showed me how there's so much stigma around mental illness and mental disability. And this took me down a rabbit hole of just understanding if you've never used a wheelchair. You have no concept of how the world is tall, you know, and I've always been t- I'm very tall. I'm I'm 6 foot and it just it just changes your worldview. How unprepared the world is for disability. Going into hotel rooms where the shower does not have a seat because I couldn't sit to to shower for a long time, having to request for safe spaces for disability infrastructure is not made for people with disabilities.
Infrastructure is just not made to accommodate all diversity. And I think that's the big vulnerability for people with disabilities, is that when you then ask for specific, reasonable accommodations, it looks like you're asking for something additional. And yet what you're asking for levels the playing field. But you have to ask for it because it just doesn't exist in a lot of the infrastructure. That the way that hotel rooms are made, they should be made automatically for people with disabilities, and then everybody can use them right handrails safe spaces. Just enough space that you can wheel in with a with a wheelchair.
::So, on that note, do you have any suggestions or observations as to how a truly safe environment in the workplace and beyond can be cultivated?
::I think first. I would like managers to be put in wheelchairs for a day, you know, and wheelchairs. I use wheelchairs because they're the most obvious. Disability aid or to have crutches for a day, or just to see how inhospitable the spaces are. I would wish that they would truly speak to people with mental illnesses. You know people who need special lighting to get through the day. I would wish that managers would understand. And make accommodations for people who cannot work 9:00 to 5:00 every day in an office. I would say, start off by people understanding what it means to live with having to navigate spaces blind, having to navigate spaces which able bodied people will do easily having to get off a bus. It's when it's pouring rain and you're on crutches. Even with infrastructure, it's never in a space that accommodates the easiest access for the person with disabilities. You always have to go further, right? The ramp has to be space and dimension and safety and so it's it's always that much more that it's it singles you out especially for things like screening as you go into a building standing in a line when you're coming into a conference having just chairs for people to sit until it's their turn, being able for people at security to understand that people with disabilities. May need to sit while they answer the questions. When you have an occasion, the tables are always standing tables because they assume able bodied people, they don't assume somebody who may not be able to stand for a long time. Making space without being asked for the various different types of people cause not all disabilities are visual, you can't see all of them in creating spaces that incorporate the diversity without that person having to make a special ask. I would say firstly, having managers have an awareness. Of what it takes and how exhausting it is as a person with disabilities to navigate a world that does not see you.
::Thank you. Sustaining your own resilience, is there any tools or daily practises that you've implemented in your own life?
::Gratitude. I have a gratitude diary and just being grateful for what you have is incredible. It it really allows you to see that. Yes, I don't have everything, but I have a lot. I have people who love me, I have friends. I have, I travel to incredible places because of the work I do. I meet incredible people on a daily basis. I'm doing the work that I love. I think one of the biggest things with having any sort of chronic illness. Is being compassionate with yourself. Self-compassion is truly the thing that you need to exercise in order to navigate spaces that are not friendly, and I have a saying that I use it's called ABC (attend to your basic needs with compassion), so I'm always compassionate with myself because usually I'm my worst critic. That voice in my head is the one that's always like, you know, you should lose weight. Then it would be easier. You should. You know, you should do this. You should have written that down cause you'll forget it. Just understanding that you're human. You know you will make mistakes. I speak about. I mean disabilities, I talk to a lot of people, especially HIV, because it's got such a big stigma still and and just being, I would say I live each day as if it were the last day of my life. So, I want every experience I have to mean something, so I also. Meditate when I can. And I meditate anywhere, right? I use breathing as my meditation. So, if I'm feeling overwhelmed, I will. Breathe in three times. You can't see that. So, you won't. Know that I'm doing it and so those are the sorts of factors that I sent to myself. I ground myself, you know, putting my feet down on the ground, just having an awareness of the space and time around me, a lot of people get lost in their phones. Just taking a moment to situate and you know, smell the roses, see the trees. Understand that you live in space. and time. I think those are the the things that I use on a daily basis. Yesterday I had a long flight, I flew from Minneapolis cause I went to Minneapolis to Chicago. And when I got to Chicago, they didn't have a wheelchair for me. And then she called from Chicago to New York. They didn't have a wheelchair when I landed. Right. They just forgot and I got parked on a wheelchair in one space and forgotten. So, I lost my bag because I didn't get to the carousel in time to get the bag and. It was in low-cost airline so finding somebody to find my bag, I mean what should have been an hour, took me 3 hours and it's just allowing yourself space to say, OK. So, this day has gone very awry and there's nothing I can do about it. So, it's just having that awareness that should happen sometimes and there's. Absolutely nothing you can do about it. It's completely outside your control. And you just take it in your stride and. I kept saying I'm so grateful to be breathing. So incorporating things that really accommodate your disability work.
::That sounds like such a nightmare. Did you find your bag?
::I did. I just waited them out.
::A companion. OK. Yeah.
::I found them.
::Thank you, Wadzanai and Katie.
You can find out more about IFAD’s work on disability inclusion at spark inclusion dot org
::And have a listen to our recent episodes while you're at it.
In episode 94 we talked about school meals and food policy, asking how food systems can actually deliver safe, nutritious, sustainable food for everyone.
::Then in episode 95 we looked at what’s at stake for food and farming at COP30.
:And in episode 96, we spoke with Recipes for Change chef and influencer Waldir Maqque about adapting with cacao in Peru.
::Next up, a farm that's been designed with disability inclusion built into every aspect.
::You’re listening to Farms. Food. Future. with me Brian Thomson, and Michelle Tang.
Usually, accessibility is an afterthought.
Something tacked onto systems that were never designed with disabled people in mind.
But what if you flipped that entirely?
What would a farm look like if disabled people designed it themselves?
::That's the question Mike Duxbury asked when he co-founded Inclusive Farm in the UK.
He'd seen how few employment opportunities existed for people with disabilities, particularly in agriculture.
::Because agriculture could offer genuine, meaningful work if only the barriers weren't there.
Inclusive Farms achieved this. It's a proper working farm that creates real employment, and the philosophy is simple: assume capability, design for access, treat everyone as equals.
::Mike Duxbury spoke with our reporter Andrew White about why farming lends itself to Mike Duxbury spoke with our reporter Katie White about why farming lends itself to inclusive employment, what it actually takes to redesign a workplace, and why this model matters beyond his farm in the UK.
::Can you take us back to the beginning? What inspired you to set up Inclusive Farm and what's the mission of the initiative?
::So, the reason I set up the Inclusive Farm, it was a multi strand reason. Firstly, my background is agriculture. Anyway, as I said I lost my sight at the age of 6 but always wanted to be a farmer. But over the years I learned just how many people who had a lot of talent were just not getting the brakes because of their disabilities. I did a piece of work with the government around the employment of disabled people in the UK and the results were so shocking, even for me, that I realised that the only way of doing it was to approach it myself and do it if you like from a disabled person's point of view. For other people like myself so that we can have a better future and be treated equally. The two things that I knew about was agriculture and diversity, so I thought, let's bolt the two together and take it from there. So, I got a piece of land and built the farm the way I wanted it to be for me and also for other people.
::And what makes your approach different in terms of opening doors to farming for people with disabilities?
::The key point to this is if you look around, there's very few charities and very few organisations who are trying to support and help disabled people being owned by somebody like minded. So, you know the one thing that our students and people come to us is because they know they can talk to me on a level - that I understand, because I live it myself on a daily basis and as you know, most charities who are they're out there to support people are usually run by able bodied people and I'm not saying they're wrong, but it sets us apart because other blind people, other disabled people, come to our farm being taught by somebody like themselves.
::Could you tell us some of the tools or innovations you've introduced that makes agriculture more accessible?
::Really, I think the approach and the attitude about agriculture, you know, the end of the day. I know we can all come back to it, to the basic thing is we all need to eat and we all need food and there's two fold here. So, there's a massive shortage. Of skilled people now in agriculture, we're desperately short of new blood, and yet there's a lot of disabled people and people with diverse needs out there who don't get opportunities for employment. So why not try and bolt the two together? So that's the first thing, but most importantly. What have I done? I've tried to keep the fire. Well, as a working farm. So, we're not a care farm. We're very much a reality of what you see up and down the country and all around the world. We are working for with machines and with livestock. But what I've tried to do is introduce some basic changes. So simple. Things like, for instance, the fences that we have. Close the livestock. They all have a different material used in order for people like myself. If you touch the fence, you know exactly where you are on the farm. We use things like - I put matting down in front of pens so when you've got your armfuls of hay and straw back to feed and your feet hit this different texture, you know you're a metre away from the fence where the livestock are. So, it is simple things, making sure the gates into pens. Are 4 foot wide rather than 3 foot wide so we can get a wheelchair or if I was in a wheelchair I can get access. So, they're simple things. Making sure we got no steps on the farm so that obviously people who have got poor mobility to get about using the appropriate means. So, they're simple things. But other than that, we still carry out the same tasks, same as any other farmer.
::Lastly, I want to ask you: looking ahead what's next for Inclusive Farm? How do you see the project evolving in the coming years?
::Well, I think the next step for us, which we're going to have to do sooner rather than later, is try and get funding to. To some smaller levels of it there residential and the reason why I say that we're absolutely inundated from people all over the world. I currently have a waiting list from outside of the UK of about 26 people who desperately want to come and learn and take those ideas. Back to their countries, in order to set something up similar or in order to spread the word within their own countries. Because at the end of the day disabilities is something that's all around the world. I mean, it will shock you to say that currently around 1.1 billion people registered with some sort of diverse need. And that's big market and a big industry and a big area to satisfy. And the last thing governments want to be doing is just paying out benefits to keep people at home doing nothing.
::Thank you, Mike and Katie.
You can find out more at inclusive farm dot co dot uk.
:And that brings us to the end of this episode.
::Thanks as always to our producer and editor here in Rome, Rosa González, Francesco Manetti, Rebecca Preciutti, and to our reporter Katie White.
::But most of all thanks to you for listening to this episode of Farms Food Future brought to you by the International Fund for Agricultural Development.
::We’ll be back in two weeks for our festive special and last episode of 2025!
::Stay tuned!
::This is farms, food, future, a podcast that's good for you, good for the planet, and good for farmers brought to you by the International Fund for Agricultural Development. You can find out more about all of our stories at www.if at Dot org forward Slash podcasts. Remember, we want to hear from you.
::What you think about our stories and who you want us to be talking to? So please get in touch at podcast at Ifad Dot.
::Org send us your voice or text messages to this address.
::And we'll be happy to play you out in the next show. Also, don't forget to subscribe to this podcast via your favourite podcast platform, and please rate US and once again we'll be trying to be good for you, good for the planet and good for the farmers. Until then from me, Brian Thompson and the team here at IFAD.
::Thanks for listening.
