SM FOUNDATION – KSK GRADUATE SPREADS SOCIAL GOOD THROUGH FARMING

SM Foundation’s (SMFI) Kabalikat Sa Kabuhayan (KSK) Batch 159 farmer-graduate Maureen Olivo Ignacio of Barangay Tumana, Marikina City shares her love for farming by giving out seeds for free to those who are interested in planting and harvesting fresh vegetables at the comfort and available spaces of their homes in Metro Manila.

Maureen has been giving free seeds even before the enhanced community quarantine took effect and enforced. She shares her knowledge on farming and urban gardening by giving seminars and tips through her personal Facebook page.

“My advocacy is to teach people about planting in their own backyards. There were numerous times that I’ve been invited to give free seminars, in areas outside Marikina,” she said.

Aside from being a KSK farmer-graduate, Maureen also took a course in NC II Certificate for Organic Agriculture Production and trainers’ methodology under the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) to further deepen her understanding of plants and gardening.

Maureen planted more to secure her family’s supply of nutritious food during the ECQ period. During this period, she shared the fruits of her labor with relatives and neighbors.

SM Foundation’s Kabalikat Sa Kabuhayan (KSK) is SMFI’s Social Good program on sustainable agriculture. The program aims to uplift the lives of Filipinos in grassroot communities through sustainable agriculture via technology transfer, product development and farm-market linkage.

Targeting the marginalized sectors in urban communities, KSK deployed more urban gardening program which aims to help promote food security in an urban setting. The program includes several innovative gardening techniques and concepts, including container gardening which is feasible and practicable for people with small patios, yards, or balconies to try. This KSK program concept and segment is in partnership with Macondray Philippines.