Josie Clarke is a young woman who wears many hats.
An agronomist, research assistant and PhD candidate in gene editing for crop improvement, Josie is a self-confessed plant lover and passionate about sustainable agriculture.But it’s her mission to change perceptions of people with a disability in agriculture that has put her in the spotlight.
Founded in 2021, Ability Agriculture is an online community with over 2,000 members from Australia and abroad that aims to increase representation, awareness and opportunity for disability in agriculture.
Josie said meaningful participation in the agricultural workforce by people with a disability is something she’s not just passionate about shining a light on, it’s something she wants the industry to actively expand.
“Ability Agriculture stories are highlighting not just resilience, but the incredible career pathways available for those with a disability,” she said.
“For me, showing greater transparency for accessible development programs and pathways for young people with a disability in agriculture is a space for growth.”
This idea of showcasing disability in agriculture germinated during a drive around the family’s cattle property at Kempsey, NSW, with her dad, Glen.
Ability Agriculture founder and director Josie Clarke with her dad, Glen.
“When I was five years old, my dad had a truck accident that resulted in him becoming a paraplegic. Growing up with a family member with a disability and working in agriculture for a career made me realise how few stories there were about disability in the ag world, so I decided to do something about it,” Josie said.
Since then, Ability Agriculture has not only showcased that agriculture can be a truly inclusive and accessible career option for anyone, but also created a positive, proactive conversation around how agribusinesses can support people with a disability.
It’s this achievement that saw Josie named the winner of the 2022 NSW/ACT AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award.
Since then, Ability Agriculture’s impact has only grown.
“It means a lot to me that other people are now hearing about and connecting to my family’s story, and it means even more that we are listening to people working in agriculture whose stories aren’t often heard,” Josie said.
“What that is leading to is an agriculture sector that’s open to talking about inclusion and diversity, including for disability, and that’s a wonderful thing to be helping make possible.”
Josie’s aspirations don’t stop there though.
This year, her idea to grow Ability Agriculture’s role beyond an advocacy network to a dynamic platform where people can advertise and find accessible jobs in the agriculture sector will become a reality.
“At the national Jobs and Skills Summit in September last year, we heard that 53 per cent of working-age people with a disability – be that physical, non-physical, visible or invisible – are in the labour force, compared to 84 per cent of those without disability,” Josie said.
“This is a statistic that hasn’t changed significantly in my lifetime and frankly, it’s about time it did.”
Through a Backing the Future grant from the Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation, Josie will be able to kickstart AGcess by Ability Agriculture - a jobs site that advertises accessible roles and work experience in agricultural enterprises in regional NSW.
“It will be so great to know there’s one central place for employers and candidates to go, where they need not worry about disclosing a disability or asking for support or accommodations,” Josie said.
“It will also open up opportunities for people from outside the agriculture sector, who just happen to have a disability, to explore more options for finding fulfilling careers and projects.”
Beyond the launch of AGcess, Josie has just two items on her wish list for the year ahead.
“Firstly, that the voices of people with a disability in agriculture continue to be heard in our workplaces and communities,” Josie said.
“And secondly, that rural and regional businesses create more accessible roles and opportunities for employment.”
If you would like to learn more about Ability Agriculture, you can check out their website, or find them on Facebook and Instagram.