CAMILING, Tarlac: SM Foundation Inc. (SMFI) recently launched its 221st batch of Kabalikat sa Kabuhayan on Sustainable Agriculture Program (KSK-SAP) at the Castro-Tomas Agritechture Farm School here. The KSK-SAP is a holistic training program, designed to prepare its farmer-participants in becoming productive and effective entrepreneurs for agriculture sustainability and food security. The program is in partnership with the Departments of Agriculture, Social Welfare and Development, Science and Technology, Trade and Industry, and Tourism; the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda); SM Markets; SM Supermalls; and St. Isidore “The Farmer” Learning Center Inc. “We thank SM Foundation for this program as we also promote vegetable production for food security in our municipality,” Mayor Erlon Agustin said during the launch. Government and nongovernment organizations had consolidated their resources to help SM’s KSK-SAP produce quality, safe and fresh fruits and vegetables with technical vocational training on new farming technologies and development of entrepreneurial skills that will lead to profitable enterprises. Tesda provided scholarships in organic agriculture and agricrop production in identified sites across the country. KSK-SAP 2020 has five project sites in Tarlac with 100 farmer-participants in Camiling, 25 in La Paz, 25 in San Jose, 25 in San Clemente and 25 in Victoria, totaling 200 farmer-scholars. Present during the launch were SMFI Outreach Programs Associate Vice President Cristie Angeles, Tesda Tarlac Provincial Director John Adawey, Tesda Training Indoctrination Program officer Larry Perez, St. Isidore school owner Romeo Cordova and Castro-Tomas Agritechture Farm School owner Jhunn Castro. SM’s KSK-SAP farmers’ training program was launched in 2007; has reached out to more than 26,000 marginalized farmers across the country; and has provided livelihood opportunities to its beneficiaries.
