A GROUP of farmers are now selling their crops at the SM City Tarlac.
These farmers completed a training on modern farming under the Kabalikat sa Kabuhayan (KSK), a program of SM Foundation Incorporate (SMFI) focusing on sutainable agriculture.
SM City Tarlac launched the KSK Farmer’s Market Day where they sell their harvested fresh produce such as vegetables, root crops and fruits at the Lower Ground Floor of SM City Tarlac every Friday.
They also display their crops at the DTI Trade Fair in the mall every Saturday and Sunday as part of the Sustainable Livelihood Program.
“KSK shifts its activities in helping its graduates by providing market exposure in institutionalized selling,” said Cristie Angeles, AVP of SMFI Outreach Programs.
She noted that the scholarship program continues to enhance the skills and encourage its farmer graduates to become entrepreneurs amidst economic challenges, changing weather conditions, and limited planting space and resources.
SMFI's program is in partnership with the DA, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and other agencies.
KSK continues to hone the talents of the graduates as well as strengthen their interest in farming by helping them become entrepreneurs through pop up booth activities in participating SM Malls, said Angeles.
DA provides farm inputs, market linkages and other technical support while DSWD helps in organizing, mobilization of KSK graduates and social preparations.
DTI offers entrepreneurial mind-setting, formalizes the business documents of participating farmers, assists in developing farm bi-products and includes KSK farmers in DTI’s related activities.
“We thank SM Foundation for helping us farmers by providing free training and now by accommodating us in marketing our products. It's a complete cycle of farming, training and marketing”, said Emma Tolentino, KSK Batch 49 year 2011 and owner Eco Natural Learning Site.
Since 2007, the KSK Program has produced 23,170 farmers trained in high-value crops with a total of 187 farmers' training sessions.
It is SM's way of giving back to the communities it serves making it one of the pillars of SMFI’s Corporate Social Responsibility programs.