Field School for Deaf and Mute Farmers in Kharga Oasis – acknowledged during the Global Farmer Field Schools Innovation Award Ceremony in Rome

Cairo, Egypt - The groundbreaking “Farmer Field School for the deaf and mute”, established in ElKharga Oasis by the project on “Sustainable management of Kharga Oasis Agro-ecosystems” funded by the Global Environment Facility and implemented by FAO Egypt and the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, received international recognition at the Science and Innovation Forum that took place at FAO Headquarters in Rome from 16-18 October 2024, by being one of three winners of FAO’s Innovation Award on " Farmer Field Schools for Sustainable Agrifood Systems”.

The event celebrated the groundbreaking innovations emerging from farmer field schools around the world. The spotlight was on producers—showcasing their creativity, resilience, and determination—and demonstrating that rural communities are central to shaping the future of sustainable agrifood systems. 90 applications showcased their innovations.

Ahmed Diab, Agribusiness and Programme Development Specialist at FAO Egypt received the award with the laureates Khaled Mohamed, a deaf and mute farmer, and his wife Nehmedo Riad AbdelHamied, who interpreted from sign language to Arabic. They demonstrated how this inclusive model empowers farmers with special needs to overcome barriers to date palm production.

“I am very happy to be here to present our Success Story on the “Sound of Silence” ... the first Farmer Field School (FFS) ever for deaf and mute farmers.” This FFS attained economic, social and environmental achievements. Diab continued: “Date Palm production increased by almost 30 percent, and about 20 percent of water was saved,” this is in addition to the increased income that the mute farmers enjoyed.

Nehmedo, translated what Khaled, the mute and deaf Awardee, said about the special FFS. He mentioned that before FAO’s interventions, they were marginalized and ignorant on how to improve the production of date palms... but now, their date palm fruits are nice and big, their production increased as well as their income. Accordingly, Khaled divided his revenue into a third for charity, a third for re-investment in cultivating land and the last third was dedicated for his family.

This Farmer Field School for the deaf and mute isn’t just a local success – it’s a global milestone. In a world where inclusivity remains a challenge, this pioneering initiative marks the first time in Egypt's Western Desert that farmers with disabilities have received tailored support to improve their agricultural skills. The success of this initiative has created a blueprint for expanding support to other marginalized communities across Egypt and beyond.