Chongqing: A 36-year-old Chinese man living with severe disability is running a smart farm using just one finger and one toe. Li Xia, who had Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), is quadriplegic and depends on a ventilator to survive. He lives in a medicalised portable cabin in rural Chongqing.
Despite his condition, Li manages a high-tech celery farm through a self-designed computer system. The system allows him to monitor temperature, humidity, nutrient levels, water pumps and fans remotely. His 62-year-old mother, Wu Dimei, helps by doing the physical farm work and caring for him daily.
Li said life was extremely difficult after he woke up from a coma and became bedridden. Over time, he found purpose by working on the farm. Today, he oversees planning and technology, while his mother handles labour. The vegetables grown are sold to local supermarkets, giving Li a sense of meaning and independence.
