SM Foundation-KSK graduate shares her knowledge
( KSK) Batch 159 farmergraduate Maureen Olivo Ignacio of Tumana village, Marikina City is at the stage of sharing her love for farming by giving out seeds for free to those interested in planting and harvesting fresh vegetables from available spaces of their homes.
Olivo has been giving free seeds even before the enhanced community quarantine ( ECQ) took effect. She shares her knowledge of farming and urban gardening by giving seminars and tips through her Facebook page.
“My advocacy is to teach people about planting in their own backyards.
There were numerous times that I’ve been invited to give free seminars in areas outside Marikina,” she said.
Aside from being a KSK farmer- graduate, Olivo also took a course in organic agriculture rroduction and trainers’ methodology under the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority ( Tesda) to further deepen her understanding of plants and gardening.
During the ECQ, Olivo decided to plant more to secure her family’s supply of nutritious food. During this period, she shared the fruits of her labor with relatives and neighbors.
KSK is SM Foundation’s program aiming to uplift the lives of Filipinos in grassroot communities through sustainable agriculture via technology transfer, product development and farm- market linkage.
Targeting the marginalized sectors in urban communities, KSK deployed more urban gardening programs that aim to help promote food security in an urban setting. The program includes several innovative gardening techniques and concepts, including container gardening that is feasible and practicable for people with small patios, yards or balconies to try. This KSK program concept is being undertaken in partnership with Macondray Philippines.
THE TIMES