THE SM Foundation Inc. (SMFI) recently launched Farmers' Market Day (FMD) in SM City San Pablo, SM City Calamba and SM City Santa Rosa. This is SM’s collaborative effort to assist farmers who completed their training on modern farming under the Kabalikat sa Kabuhayan (KSK), a program of SM Foundation Incorporate (SMFI) focusing on sustainable agriculture. During Farmer’s Market Day, participants are selling their harvested fresh produce such as vegetables, root crops and fruits inside SM prime location.
SM Foundation through "KSK shifts its activities to helping its graduates by providing market exposure in institutionalized selling," Cristie Angeles, Assistant Vice President of SMFI outreach programs, said. She noted that the scholarship program continues to enhance the skills and encourage farmer graduates to become entrepreneurs amidst economic challenges, changing weather conditions, and limited planting space and resources. KSK is a continuing program that hones the talents of the graduates as well as strengthens their interest in farming by helping them become entrepreneurs through pop-up booth activities in participating in SM Malls.
The program is implemented in partnership with the Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and other participating agencies. DA provides farm inputs, market linkages, and other technical support while DSWD helps in organizing, mobilization of KSK graduates and social preparations. DTI, on the other hand, offers entrepreneurial mind-setting, formalizes the business documents of participating farmers, assists in developing farm bi-products and includes KSK farmers in the department's related activities.
Mr. Derry Exconde, a KSK beneficiary and owner of Mameng’s Farm is grateful and thankful to SM in providing free training and by accommodating them in marketing their products. "It’s an opportunity that we farmer graduates are waiting for, this boost our drive in farming” he said. The farmers market day is open every Fridays at the ground floor of SM City San Pablo.
Comments
Post a Comment