After 14 weeks of hands-on training in urban and rural agriculture techniques, at least 39 farmer beneficiaries of the SM Foundation’s Kabalikat sa Kabuhayan Sustainable Agriculture Program in Bulacan successfully graduated recently.
As a steadfast advocate of green and sustainable living, SM Supermalls, through its corporate social responsibility arm, SM Foundation Inc., gears to support the government’s food security agenda through said agriculture program.
In SM City Marilao, the SMFI-KSK commencement was attended by 16 graduates who underwent urban farming, a technique designed to maximize the limited space for food production and sustainability. It targets providing low-income urban communities with essential skills in high-value crop farming by transforming underutilized urban spaces into productive gardens.
Meanwhile, SM Center Pulilan marked the completion of at least 23 graduates who focused mainly on rural farming.
In addition to SMFI-KSK certificates, the graduates received their National Certificate II from TESDA, providing them with opportunities for career advancement in the farming sector.
Aside from the presentation of certificates, market tours with SM Markets were held, allowing the trainees to explore and understand marketing opportunities in farming.
With its vision to bring back hope by directly working with farmers, SM Foundation’s KSK training focuses on several facets of farming, including land preparation, seedling, fertilizer concoction, sustainability workshops and forums, financial literacy and bookkeeping, pricing and costing, as well as product development.
The program is in partnership with the local government units in Bulacan, the Department of Agriculture (DA), the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the Department of Tourism (DOT), SM Markets, SM Supermalls, and D' Planners Training Center Inc.
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