SM Foundation’s has begun its 39th Kabalikat sa Kabuhayan Farmers’ Training Program in Barangay Tigatto, Buhangin District, Davao City, with farmers from this barangay and from Mandog and Waan.
SM Foundation Inc. Assistant Vice President for Livelihood and Outreach Program Cristie Angeles led the ceremonial transplanting of seedlings, with Celes Alla of Harbest Agribusiness Corp., Leonardo Avila of City Agriculture Office, Enya Celoso of HVCDP-RFU XI and SM City Lanang Assistant. MaIl Manager Jerome Yoe.
The city government of Davao through Leonardo Avila III thanked SM Foundation for initiating the training program in the city.
Avila said the program is in line with the city government’s vision of creating farmer entrepreneurs that will lessen the presence of middlemen who are the ones that dictate the prices of agricultural products instead of the farmers.
Aside from SM Foundation representatives and city government officials, Edme Pajarito-one of the farmers who graduated in 2009 -was present to deliver an inspirational message to the participants.
Pajarito said the training he received from SM Foundation’s Kabalikat sa Kabuhayan helped him improve his harvests. Where before he planted only one crop,
‘kung talong, talong lang wala ng iba. Kaya pag natyempuhan na mababa ang presyo ng talong pag nagharvest, lugi na agad.’ But with the training he got, he learned that he can plant various croP,s simultaneously. ‘Ngayon ay may tanim ako na ampalaya, talong, pipino, petchay, alugbate at saluyot. Sa ngayon ay kumikita na ako ng P300 hanggang P800 per week sa ampalaya palan,’ he added. Two years after graduation from KabaIikat sa Kabuhayan, he was able to buy a tricycle that- he now uses as a delivery vehicle.
Aside from teaching the farmer- participants the rudiments of vegetable farming like land and crop selection, seed sowing, plant nutrition, pest control and farm management, trainees are also taught accounting principles in farming, the importance of record keeping, financial reports, credit facilities available to farmers and marketing their farm produce.