Losing a job can be devastating but this man from Ipoh has decided to take this as an opportunity to find his passion, leading him to a successful life abroad in Switzerland.
Ipoh man ventures into farming in Switzerland
According to local newspaper Berita Harian, Eryzal Zainal was an engineer in telecommunications and oil and gas industry. Unfortunately, in 2014, the 41-year-old engineer had lost his job. Seeing that he has ample amount of time, he began devoting his energy into researching about farming.
Source: Berita Harian
“It all started when I wanted to understand the food that we eat, and that has led me into the rabbit hole of sustainable farming”, he said.
Venturing into the farming industry was definitely no easy feat as he wasn’t equipped with the knowledge. That being said, Eryzal spent his time traveling around the world trying to understand the mechanics behind sustainable farming, before moving to Switzerland with his wife and kid in 2017.
From manual tools to a two-wheeled tractor!
Settling down in Switzerland, he started out small by growing his crops next to his home. With the help of his neighbours, he was able to expand the land further. Using whatever tools he could find to help with his venture, his efforts finally paid off running a sustainable farm.
Source: Berita Harian
Paired with the organic practices as well as aligning their planting schedules to the lunar cycle and seasons, Eryzal was able to upgrade his farm with a two-wheeled tractor!
“It wasn’t an easy transition because not only did I decide to venture into a new field, but drastic lifestyle changes were also thrown into the mix to make this work”, said the 41-year-old farmer.
Sharing his love for vegetables with the community
On top of the stability and good administrative system that Switzerland offers, Eryzal was able make a living out of his passion, supplying fresh produces to the community by using models like Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). With the help of CSA, people are able to sign up and arrange for fresh produce baskets to be delivered.
Source: Berita Harian
This helps create a connection between farmers and the community, building better rapport and experience between the farmers and the community.
Creating another stream of income, Eryzal and his wife would then head to local markets and sell their fresh produces, creating a sense of belonging and familiarity as well as connection with those who appreciate sustainable farming.
Happy to see that Eryzal is doing well in Switzerland! What do you think of his bold lifestyle changes? Let us know!
For more news like this, follow us on Facebook by tapping here!
Also read: 66yo M’sian earns over RM20,000 from his hobby, planting papayas
