Fifty local and indigenous farmers in barangay Besigan and Tignapoloan in Cagayan de Oro graduated from the Kabalikat sa Kabuhayan on Sustainable Agriculture Program (KSK-SAP).
SM, through its socio-civic arm, SM Foundation Inc., partnered once again with the City of Cagayan de Oro to give technical agricultural skills to the local farmers of Cagayan de Oro City through the Kabalikat sa Kabuhayan (KSK) on sustainable agriculture.
The KSK project, in partnership with the City Agriculture Office of Cagayan de Oro and the Casuga Integrated Farm School, accomplished the 14-day training. This TESDA-accredited agriculture training center trains the beneficiaries with modern techniques to organize a farm using organic practices.
The SMFI supports farmers by connecting with local and national government agencies such as LGU Cagayan de Oro, DSWD, DA, DTI, DOST, DOT, and TESDA, to equip them with practical and sustainable backyard planting and small-scale farming methods for fruits and vegetables.
Farmers can directly interact with the technical trainers through this program, allowing them to experience and understand good agricultural practices.
The ultimate goal is to provide nationwide support to farmers and uplift their economic status. Upon completing the 14–week training, the participants will graduate and reap the rewards of their hard work.
From 2007 to 2021, the KSK program had already trained 28,550 farmers in 916 municipalities and cities and 3,397 barangays in the Philippines. In Cagayan de Oro, SM CDO Malls fully support the development and growth of our local farmers through this program.