The Accessible Agriculture Project (AAP) is a new initiative the EFAO is developing alongside Accessibility Consultant Chris Lytle and the Centre for Community Based Research. The goal of the AAP is to learn about and test out how farming can become more accessible for workers with disabilities. AAP team members will host a one-hour webinar focused on building an agricultural sector that is inclusive of people with disabilities. At the webinar, we will overview the project plan and discuss the legislative context. We will also have a discussion and launch a short survey to help us learn from farmers who have experienced injury and accessibility issues.

In its early stages of development, the intention of AAP is to learn about how to make farming more inclusive and accessible as a means of livelihood for people with disabilities. Our aim is to compile evidence and information that will be of use to agricultural NGOs, farms, farmers, and varying levels of government. To do so, we hope to run accessibility workshops with EFAO members and have partnered with Heartwood Farm to explore innovative ways that accessibility can be reasonably implemented in a “pilot” project on-site. The intended outcome of this research is to build strategies for the development of accessible training, best practices, resources and practical work opportunities for people with disabilities.  As a partner in this project, EFAO has been considering how farming communities can transform and be transformed by our evolving understanding of disability. The Centre for Community Based Research is also providing support as we develop the project and seek resources. As the project unfolds, we hope to include in the project other agricultural and educational organizations, technology firms, and groups that represent people with disabilities.