THE SM Foundation Incorporated’s (SMFI) Kabalikat sa Kabuhayan (KSK), a multi-stakeholder campaign, will shift its activities in helping its farmer graduates from providing farmer’s training to opening farmer’s market.
This will be done to provide farmers market exposure through pop-up booths at SM City Mindpro in Zamboanga City.
The KSK on Sustainable Agriculture Program aims to bring sustainable farming technologies and training to both rural and urban communities to help farmers bring food to their table while creating economic opportunities for them.
“The program does not end on the graduation, rather it’s the start of the continuous support”, SMFI Assistant Vice President Cristie Angeles said Thursday, May 12, 2022.
Assistant Mall Manager Aileen Ann Villa-Enriquez said Thursday, these farmers, commonly from marginalized sector of the community, were able to graduate from SMFI’s 14 weeks Agri-technology training.
This provided them a farmer’s starter kit and now selling their harvested fresh produce such as vegetables, root crops, fruits and other products at SM to continuously support their progress on social enterprises, which in turn provide economic opportunities.
With over 26,776 farmers trained in high-value crops all over the country, the scholarship program continues to enhance farmers’ skills by encouraging them to become entrepreneurs amidst economic challenges, changing weather conditions, and limited planting space and resources.
SM City Mindpro opens KSK Farmer’s Market to customers every Saturday of the week at the level 4 of the mall. (SunStar Zamboanga)