Ensuring that its social good efforts also reach those from the South, SM Foundation (SMFI), in partnership with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), recently concluded its farmers’ training – Batch 223 A-D under the Kabalikat Sa Kabuhayan (KSK) on Sustainable Agriculture in Davao City.
A total of 225 farmers from barangays Malagos, Talandang, Carmen, Baguio Proper completed the Organic Agriculture Production NCII, through SMFI’s partner school—Casuga Integrated Farm School. Training is on-going in Baragays Cadalian and Los Amigos, through Wangan National Agricultural School (WNAS).
With the TESDA-SMFI scholarship training, farmers and communities in grassroot areas were trained on Organic Agriculture NCII that would enable them to produce chemical free and bountiful harvests which they may sell and consume. Aside from the farming technology, participants were also given KSK Agri Starter Kits, which include vegetable seeds and other farm implements – enough to cultivate a 100 sqm. land space for their agri-plot assignments. Proceeds from these agri plots will then be used by farmers as startup capital to start their own agri-enterprises.
Aside from the agri-technology training, farmer-graduates are also provided with market linkages to help in boosting their social enterprises which in turn provide economic opportunities in their respective areas. Currently, the said batch is participating as exhibitor on the ongoing Plant Fest activity in SM Lanang Premier which will run until February 28, 2021. This event gave SMFI’s KSK participants to explore potential markets and sell their organic produce such as bell pepper, cucumber, eggplant, patola, petchay, and upo.
SMFI Kabalikat Sa Kabuhayan (KSK) program intends to bring modern and sustainable farming skills in both rural and urban communities in order to help farmers have food on their table and open potential economic opportunities. To date, the program has trained more than 28,100 farmers from more than 3,300 barangays in more than 900 cities/municipalities.
