SM launches KSK in Tarlac City for 2nd batch of farmers, 4Ps

SM Foundation Inc. (SMFI) launched its Kabalikat sa Kabuhayan (KSK) Farmers Training Program, a 12-week hands-on technology training on high value crops, fruits and vegetables as well as rural and urban farming, together the Department of Agriculture, Department of Social Welfare and evelopment, local government unit (LGU) and training provider Harbest Agribusiness Corporation at Tarlac City Hall recently.

“We are thankful to SM for initiating this program and that the farmers and 4Ps farmers of Tarlac City are the chosen beneficiary,” said Tarlac City Agriculturist Susan Concepcion. She also recalled that this is the second time that SM has chosen Tarlac City as its beneficiary.

This is the second batch of farmers and 4Ps to join KSK in the city, sixth in the whole province and 198th in the entire country since the inception of the project. The batches were held respectively in the following areas: Brgy. Kapehan, Tarlac City in 2011; Victoria in 2013; Sta. Ignacia in 2015; Bamban in 2016; Paniqui in 2018; and Brgy. San Manuel, Tarlac City for this year.

The participants will undergo a comprehensive course in production of high-value crops with lectures and activities to experience the actual challenges of farming. They are divided into groups consisting of members from different barangays and each group is assigned to certain crops.

The sessions include land and seedling preparation; composting & fertilizer preparation; transplanting, farm management; trellising, control of pests and plant diseases; crop maturity; proper harvesting; values formation-capacity building; financial literacy in cooperation with BDO; and sustainability forum/workshop, which aims to help participants in learning more important guidelines in program cropping, production planning, goal setting, marketing and sustainability. Stakeholders inform participants what their agency can do to help. All inputs will be used as a tool in preparing the farmer group’s sustainability plan towards the end of the course.

Since the first graduation of the KSK Program at