SM Group empowers Negros Occidental farmers through KSK program

BACOLOD CITY – About 102 farmers from the municipality of Don Salvador Benedicto joined the sustainable farming revolution in Negros Occidental.

They were taught sustainable agricultural methods to help improve the quality and quantity of their produce during SM Foundation’s Kabalikat sa Kabuhayan farmers’ (KSK) training program.

A few years back, Negros Occidental embraced sustainable farming and has exceeded its goal to convert 10,000 hectares into sustainable farmlands. The local government allotted about half a hectare for the partner People’s Organization (PO) to serve as their demo farm. At the end of the 12-week training, the farmers harvested watermelon, lettuce, patola ( gourd), onion, squash and ampalaya (bitter gourd).

The PO association aims to become a formal cooperative in the near future. In time, the farmers hope to have enough members and produce enough volume to supply to the nearby markets or even contribute to third party suppliers of SM.

SM Foundation also works in partnership with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to help closely monitor the farmers and provide follow up mentoring.

“After graduation we organize sustainable farming associations,” shared Fernando Alabado, DSWD provincial coordinator for Sustainable Livelihood Program in Negros Occidental.

“Just like we did in the other batch in Murcia, here in Negros, we provided them a seed capital of P360,000,” he said.

DSWD also provides additional training support particularly in bookkeeping and marketing.

SM Foundation’s KSK training program was first launched in Negros Occidental at Brgy. Handumanan, Bacolod City in 2007.

Since then, milestones have been achieved in the promotion of sustainable agriculture in the province.

Brgy. Handumanan kagawad Nene Baya, a participant of KSK’s batch 98 farmers’ training program last year, applied all that he learned by setting up a vegetable garden on a 347 square meter lot, which is now the source of the ingredients for their town’s feeding program. Their project was recognized as one of the best sustainable farming projects in the province.

Now on its ninth year, KSK is part of the corporate social responsibility program of SM Foundation aimed at helping farmers attain food security and provide additional source of income for their families.