Sunday, May 18, 2008

Young farmer on a mission to assist the disabled through organic farming

Thursday May 15, 2008

COLOR ME GREEN
Story and photos by TAN JU-ENG

He spoke fast and excitedly about the concept for his venture called Bandar Harapan. Ho knows the name does not indicate farming or planting vegetables but according to him, the name is self-explanatory.

“I started Bandar Harapan with the main aim of generating income and hope for the disabled,” said Ho, who employs them to work at the farm.

“So, you see, I am not really selling you my produce”.

A rather radical statement from a businessman.

As Ho’s story about how he had started the project unfolded it sounded like a theme for Yasmin Ahmad’s public service commercials for Petronas during festive seasons.

Good alternative: Organic farming is a solution for those living in apartments.

“I am the eldest and the only son in a family with four children. My father worked as a building contractor who lost everything during the recession when I was 12. We had to move from our home in SS2 in Petaling Jaya to his only property, a five-acre piece of uncultivated land in Kota Damansara.

“We had to live among the hardcore poor in the squatter area. It was a time before Kota Damansara was developed. Even then, we were considered the richest there because we had an old Nissan Sunny car.

“My family of seven, including my grandfather, had to survive by growing vegetables and rearing fish on the land. After five years we had someone to help us work on the land. He was our neighbour P. Saktivelu, who lost an arm in a work-related accident.

“We worked hard and I remember having to trek out of the jungle everyday to go to school,” said Ho, 33, who works full-time now as a herbalist, acupuncturist and a practitioner of traditional medicine. He also has a local degree in agriculture.

His early experiences in traditional healing were with his grandfather, who taught him to treat injured animals that he picked up from the jungle on his way back from school.

Five years later, when their land was taken over to build a golf course in Kota Damansara, Ho and Saktivelu who were 17 and 19 respectively then, went around looking for another piece of land to cultivate. They looked everywhere until they found an old man living on a one-acre piece of land in Ara Damansara.

“He saw that we were young and eager to do planting so he allowed us to cultivate on his land. A few years later we decided to apply to the Forestry Department for land to be used for farming to generate income for the disabled,” said Ivan adding that 30 acres were approved for them.

As part of his big plans, Ho rented out small plots of land of about 21 sq metre to schools and individual groups to learn how to grow and manage an organic patch over six months.

Ivan and his partner strongly believed the land would provide for the poor if people were willing to work on it.

“I want to sell the idea of teaching people to live off the land no matter how small it is. I want to teach young people to take care of the land and how to grow organic vegetables without destroying the environment with chemicals and poison.

“I have learnt about the usefulness of the land because I had to live off it. I am convinced of this and I want to pass the experience on to young people,” said Ho.

Natural medicine: Ho with dried herbs for various ailments.

He has since travelled to countries such as Thailand, Indonesia, and China to learn more about environmental friendly ways to cultivate the land. Ho cultivates enzymes by fermenting fruit and vegetable wastes to be used as fertilizers and to rehabilitate soil.

In India, Ho picked up the idea of using porous clay pots to slowly disseminate moisture into the soil by filling up the pots with water and leaving them on the vegetable beds on hot days.

“When turned over they create natural habitat for insects that will leave its droppings there to fertilise the soil,” Ho added.

In January, Ho started another company called Hati Harapan, which is the retail outlet for the farm produce. It's a place for the disabled to sell farm produce as well as compost, enzymes and others to generate income. This outlet is located at 8, Jalan 12/15 , Petaling Jaya.

He has also started a system to encourage consumers to grow their own vegetables and cultivate enzymes.

“You can grow your own organic vegetables easily anywhere. It is no excuse to say that you can’t do it because you live in an apartment. You can always find containers and boxers.”

Consumers could take a tight lid plastic bin, that had been inoculated with bacteria to start fermentation, from the farm or the retail outlet by putting a deposit of RM15. Fill it up with vegetable and fruit waste before returning it to the outlet in exhange for 500g of vegetables and another empty bin.

“After three months we will be able to use the cultivated enzymes from the bin on the farm. The consumer can choose to keep the enzymes but that would be too much to use and meanwhile more vegetable waste will be produced,” said Ho who is keen on keeping this chain of activities going.

Ho would be going to China to learn healthy and green friendly methods in preserving vegetables such as preserved radish (choy po).

“I want a farm with a soul and not just to produce vegetables to sell,” Ho said.


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