SM Foundation Inc. (SMFI) launched the
139th batch of Kabalikat sa Kabuhayan, a farmers training program last June
16, 2017 at the Palawan Agricultural Experimental Station(PAES) in Brgy. Sta.
Monica, Puerto Princesa, Palawan. This initiative is in collaboration
with HARBEST Agribusiness Corporation, the Department of Agriculture,
Department of Social Welfare and Development and local government units.
The program will benefit farmers from the province
who have enlisted to participate in the season-long (3 months) training
on high value commercial vegetables production using the modern
technology under the Kabalikat sa Kabuhayan Program.
The project aims to help these farmers
improve and increase their productivity and income through application of new technology
like the use of plastic green house and mulch, use of organic fertilizers and
organic pesticides.
The training program consists of lectures
and hand-on training of the participants using the concept of the Farmers
Field School, which is a group-based learning
process that incorporates concepts and methods from
agro-ecology, experiential education and community development. Participants
will meet one whole day once a week for a total of 10 sessions.
HARBEST Agribusiness Corp. will
provide the seeds and other inputs including the technology while the Department
of Agriculture will provide technical assistance.
SM, with its chain of Hypermarket and
Supermarket stores, will serve as the market arm for the successful farmer
graduates of this training who will venture into commercial vegetable
production. It is also hoped that with this program, local vegetable farmers
would be able to produce quality vegetables for the local markets as substitute
for vegetables brought in from other areas, which are expensive. The Department
of Social Welfare and Development will provide the added support to equip the
farmers with the right attitude and knowledge to market their produce.
After the season-long training, SM
Foundation will hold the Harvest Festival, wherein farmer participants
will harvest their produce, to be followed by a graduation ceremony the next
day. Farmer graduates will also have the chance to exhibit and sell their
products in the venue.
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