Articles Sustainability

Pioneering autism-friendly farms for training and social inclusion

Singapore

This project delivers an innovative autism-friendly model that supports individuals with autism (PWAs) and addresses a labour gap in Singapore’s farming industry.

Boon Hian Kee

Co-founder @ BlueAcres

See profile

Posted 21/10/2024

Socioeconomic challenge

Autism is a lifelong neuro-developmental condition that affects 1 in 150 people. In Singapore, once a person with autism (PWA) turns 18, they often face limited opportunities for continued education or employment. Many end up staying at home, leading to increased stress for their caregivers and a rapid decline in the skills they acquired during their schooling years. With limited seats in Adult Day Activity Centres (DAC) and high associated costs, families often struggle to manage, further impacting their quality of life.

Purpose and strategy

To address the dual challenge of meaningful employment and labour shortages, BlueAcres has partnered with an autism school to create an autism-friendly vocational training farm on their campus. This initiative will provide PWAs the opportunity to acquire valuable farming skills, become active members of the community, and enhance the quality of life for families affected by autism.

Using sustainable farming techniques, the farm yields fresh, pesticide-free vegetables that are supplied to local restaurants, hotels and hospitals, meeting the growing demand for healthy, locally sourced produce. This approach serves as a catalyst for sustainable living, producing naturally grown, healthy crops and food in an economically viable way.

Impact and innovation

The autism-friendly farm at BlueAcres is more than a place of work; it is a model of how social inclusion can drive business innovation and success. By redesigning farming tasks to be autism-friendly, BlueAcres has made it possible for PWAs to contribute significantly to the farm's operations.

As of March 2024, 41 PWAs participate in weekly horticulture lessons and on-the-job training, accounting for approximately 10% of the farmer’s workload.

This initiative not only reduces the social burden on caregivers but also ensures that the life skills of PWAs are preserved and enhanced.

In addition to its social impact, BlueAcres has gained recognition for its sustainable farming practices. The decision to avoid toxic pesticides has become a unique selling point, securing a constant demand for its produce and minimising food wastage. Approximately 80% of the farm's production now comes from the vocational training farm, with PWAs contributing to around 10% of the work done.

Future outlook

Looking ahead, BlueAcres is working to increase the participation of PWAs in its farming operations to 30% by refining its processes and adapting into farming. The farm is working with vendors to install new systems that can achieve higher yields while remaining safe and manageable for PWAs. Beyond its own operations, BlueAcres aims to share its knowledge and experience with other farms in Singapore, promoting the wider adoption of autism-friendly farming practices. The long-term vision is to create a network of commercial and community farms across the country that can collectively absorb more PWAs into the workforce, fostering greater social inclusion and sustainability.

BlueAcres is a privately owned micro-farm in Singapore, established in 2019. The farm operates one indoor and three outdoor facilities, supplying fresh, pesticide-free produce to local restaurants, hotels, and hospitals. BlueAcres is committed to sustainable farming practices and social impact, with a mission to drive sustainable living and promote aquaponics farming techniques for land-scarce markets like Singapore. Through its autism-friendly vocational training farm, BlueAcres exemplifies how small-scale farms can contribute to social good while addressing economic challenges.

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