The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
Small-scale farming—which is mainly for a family’s sustenance, plus a little income from agricultural produce—does not get the same attention as commercial farming, but it has the best potential to eradicate hunger in the majority of Filipino families.
The most recent Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey, conducted from June 24 to 27, found that 15.2 percent of families, or about 3.4 million people, claimed to have gone through at least a day without food.
The level of nutrition among Filipinos represents a backlash on the economy, as a recent study said the economy loses P328 billion a year as a result of childhood stunting.
This study by Save the Children also showed that stunted children were less productive and have reduced motivation to learn.
Stunting is the most prevalent form of undernutrition, and has permanent effects on a child’s growth and development, the study said.
The study showed hunger and malnutrition result in stunting, which, in turn, results in P166.5 billion worth of lost income due to lower level of education of the working population; P160 billion in lost productivity due to premature deaths among children who would have been members of the working-age population; and P1.23 billion in additional education costs to cover grade repetitions linked to undernutrition.
SM Foundation Inc. (SMFI), thus, embarked on a farmers’ training program called Kabalikat sa Kabuhayan (KSK) in 2007, which aimed to upgrade the agricultural knowledge of small-scale farmers in order to produce high-quality, safe, high-value, and high-yielding fruits and vegetables while teaching Filipino families to become self-sufficient.
For 12 weekly sessions, KSK scholars are trained on the proper way of planting by receiving lessons in modern farming methods and technologies. Sessions also include values formation, capability-building and social entrepreneurship. Finally, farmers are provided opportunities to create market linkages through the SM Food Group’s suppliers.
The KSK was undertaken in partnership with Harbest Agribusiness Corp., the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), and the Department of Agriculture (DA).
Ten KSK trainings were conducted in areas affected by Supertyphoon Yolanda, such as Samar, Leyte, Cebu, Negros Occidental and Panay Island; two trainings were conducted in the calamity-stricken areas of Bohol (earthquake) and Zamboanga City (armed conflicts); and the rest are regular KSK trainings.
Today, the program has empowered many of its more than 14,000 graduates nationwide, not only by addressing food shortage but also providing them with livelihood opportunities that helped them rise above poverty.
111th batch of KSK trainees
Recently, the 111th batch of trainees finished its 12-week training at Belle Corp.’s Tagaytay Highlands, a world-class recreational and residential complex.
They were taught soil preparation, use of organic fertilizers, natural ways of dealing with insects and pests, drip irrigation, and new methods or techniques in vegetable production.
They were also briefed on how to market their harvest and eventually become entrepreneurs.
It was the SMFI and Belle Kaagapay’s maiden KSK Farmers’ Training Program collaboration.
Belle Kaagapay is the corporate social responsibility arm of Belle Corp. Utilized as a demonstration farm was a 5,000 square-meter open land in Tagaytay Highlands, which was planted with broccoli, lettuce, squash, cucumber, melon, watermelon, raddish, eggplant, tomato, and corn, among others.
Prior to the graduation ceremony, a harvest festival was held to showcase the trainees’ produce.
Present were SMFI officials, led by Executive Director Debbie Sy, Executive Director for Education Linda Atayde, AVP Eleanor Lansang, AVP for Livelihood Cristie Angeles; and Belle Corp. Vice President for Governance and Corporate Affairs Michelle Hernandez.
Hernandez requested the program trainors to teach the farmers certain varieties of crops commonly used in dishes served at Tagaytay Highlands.
Ready market
KSK farmers now supply the vegetable demand of Tagaytay Highlands.
Hernandez said: “We are very excited to move forward with this project, as we plan to magnify this by creating livelihood opportunities for our farmers by including them in Tagaytay Highland’s supply chain.”
With the training over, the farmers are putting into practice all they have learned. Belle Corp. is making a portion of its unutilized land available for the KSK graduates’ use.