Alpha Volunteers Experience Reaping the Autumnal Harvest in Xizhou – Implementing the "ESG Water-Farmer" Sustainability Action

As the autumn fields are adorned in golden-yellow in October on the Chinese calendar, the plump ears of rice are beckoning Alpha volunteers, a total of about 23 people, to participate in the Group's autumnal harvest activity in Xizhou, Changhua. They can bask in the warmth of the sun of Xizhou in central Taiwan and practice the philosophy of sustainability in the soft, muddy paddy fields.

Qisda Group BenQ Foundation's "Friendly Contract Farming" has supported farmers who have acted as guardians of the land for the last 15 consecutive years by adopting over 100 hectares of paddy fields, leading the Group's employees and their families to help in the fields to jointly complete the "ESG Water-Farmer" mission. Volunteers wielding sickles have embodied the concept of sustainability in hard work; albeit the time was short, the fulfilling honest work makes sustainability more than just a catchphrase.

After an entire day of labor, a rice harvesting meal by the field also brings to life the concept of plastic reduction to alleviate burdens on the environment. The Water-Farmer team has reached out to numerous friendly businesses in Xizhou to provide volunteers with local ingredients and lunch boxes, allowing them to appreciate the influence of Xizhou's eco-friendliness conveyed through every morsel of food that is imbued with local ingredients and culture.

Through the activity, volunteers can realize the hard work associated with rice cultivation and harvesting, allowing children living in the city to understand the complex, arduous processes required to produce a bowl of glistening white rice on their dining table. Learn by doing and experiencing is far more effective and much faster than reading a textbook, and they can learn to cherish food and appreciate the importance of the sustainability of all things in Mother Nature.

On an autumn weekend, volunteers relish in the sights and sounds along the journey, getting away from the hustle and bustle of the city to harvest rice in the paddy fields. They can walk into the woods to listen to music, and in the sun-drenched afternoon, while children run around to make hay bales; adults can slow down and unwind to enjoy a little respite from their tense urban lifestyle. They take pleasure in the small happiness in life by giving and receiving naturally, forming an earth-friendly bilateral cycle. We shall be back again for another annual gathering.

By leveraging the influence of public welfare activities, we aim to assist small farmers with the skills needed from harvest to sales. We provide guidance to rural communities in developing local industry specialties while also committing to environmental protection. It is estimated that this event will benefit over 140 individuals.